


The Would-Be King and Queen

by chichirichick



Category: Soul Eater
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 20:42:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 55
Words: 191,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28819446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chichirichick/pseuds/chichirichick
Summary: Fantasy AU SoMa. The crowned prince Soul can't avoid picking a wife any longer. Will the arrival of his thirteenth prospect give him a piece of his past back that he lost and break the curse?
Relationships: Black Star & Nakatsukasa Tsubaki, Black Star/Nakatsukasa Tsubaki, Maka Albarn & Soul Eater Evans, Maka Albarn/Soul Eater Evans
Comments: 6
Kudos: 35





	1. Chapter 1

"How else can you say stubborn?"

It was entirely too early for Black Star's prattling and Soul turned over in his bed with a groan. "What the hell are you even writing anyway?"

"A guide for your future wife," Black Star barely managed to eke out before being overcome with a fit of laughter. He tumbled back into the chair at the desk to allow all his energy to strengthen each bray.

"I'm glad _you_ can find something amusing about this," Soul growled as he grabbed one of the pillows and catapulted it in Black Star's direction, sighing as its mark easily caught it. "I should just have you killed."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Black Star winked. "It would be great if you actually hired an assassin. Then maybe I could actually have some kind of competition. The new recruits are just _boring_."

"And isn't that where you should be instead of torturing me?" Soul let his arm fall listlessly over the side of the bed, his fingers dangling against the cold stone.

"Ah, the recruits can wait. I'm the captain of your guard, I need to witness the introduction of your possible future brides. Which means get your ass out of bed and get dressed." Black Star made no move to help in this regard, just grinning brightly from his seat.

 _Brides_ , Soul sighed again. There was a lot to curse as he slowly lumbered out of bed but today's parade of ladies sat at the top of his current list. It wasn't as if he had a choice, his mother and father had been completely unapologetically blunt about this: he had to marry. Putting off courting had taken time and effort on his part but ultimately he knew there was no way to avoid it forever. As he usually did at least once a day, he found himself wishing his brother was still alive, wishing that the crown weighed on his head, the need for heirs and finding some pretentious princess rested on his shoulders.

"You should be thanking me, anyway. I got all the news about your baker's dozen."

"I thought it was only supposed to be twelve," Soul grumbled as he pulled on his shirt and started the arduous task of tying the sleeves.

Black Star was up with a grunt, batting away Soul's awkward attempts at tying with his left. "One late entry. Lady Marie's put up a girl last minute. Unfortunately, that means I know nothing about her, but give me a day. The others, well… Your mother has you slated for Clarissa, Yanira, or Sylvia, her top picks, in that order. Clarissa's an absolute no, Yanira's hot, and Sylvia, is just…" Black Star produced a vague shrug.

"I don't care what they look like," Soul sighed.

"Yeah, right," Black Star rolled his eyes before moving to the other sleeve. "You'll care when it's the wedding night."

Soul grimaced.

"Seriously, man, I'm worried about you. You remember what girls are, right? The hourglass figures? The breasts?"

Soul ripped away his arm and turned with a hiss, "Maybe I forgot them with the rest of my fucking past. I can't remember shit after-" He stopped as he pressed his knuckles to his chest, the constant dull throb flaring under his fist.

"OK, OK," the amusement dropped from Black Star's voice as he patted Soul's shoulder. "I know you've been trying and the apothecary's been making a bunch of tinctures and it's just gonna happen someday, seriously, Soul."

"It's a curse," Soul spat back helplessly. "A goddamn witch curse and since they don't exist anymore there's nothing a stupid herbalist or my own useless meditation is going to do. The nightmares are worse every night and-"

"Stop," Black Star grasped him, pulling Soul close enough to get an arm around his neck. "You're getting yourself worked up just to get out there and look like a sour asshole. You have to at least have a corner of a smile to offer the ladies."

Soul relinquished, letting Black Star pull him in. He was fortunate that at least the way Black Star messed with his hair seemed to set the mop straight and he threw on his jacket quickly with a huff. "As if they need to be impressed by me. I'm crowned prince. What the hell else do they want?"

"Not that jacket," Black Star laughed. Soul looked down, seeing nothing wrong with the black but ripped it off as Black Star's disapproval didn't change. He stamped over to the bureau but before he could even reach inside the captain of his guard, his best and only friend since his childhood laughed at him again. "Pick the red and gold one. It goes with your eyes."

"Oh, since when are you a lady of the court?" Soul spat back but still grabbed what he was instructed, quickly throwing it on.

"Shut up, you're already late for your own introduction." Black Star took one last private moment to look over his friend, to clear his hair from his forehead and grin. "I'll miss you once you're a married man."

"Idiot," Soul slapped his hand away before starting for the door. "Let's go. And you'll tell me all about them after so I can actually put a face to facts."

"Yeah!" Black Star skipped after him, only slowing as they hit the corner and seemed to slip into reality. He fell a few steps behind Soul, obediently in line as he should be. Soul had popped his shoulders back, standing tall as he rushed through the hallways.

Soul was caught by the steward and a few servants, suddenly moved forward not under his own power but by a whirlwind of pomp that brought him breathlessly to the opening of the great hall. His sigh was drowned out by the trumpet blare and he threw his head over his shoulder to send one last helpless glance at Black Star before starting for the thrones.

His parents, the great King and Queen were already seated, the icy rage brewing on his mother's face while his father still looked pleasantly unaware. Neither of those looks was a surprise to Soul as he slumped into his own chair. "Where the hell have you been?" his mother hissed.

Soul set unapologetic eyes to his mother's face before letting them drift back to the crowd. "Let's just get this started, please."

His mother's face stormed at him for a moment before easing into the sweet smile that always faced the court. "Announce the ladies, please."

It was exactly the parade he was expecting and while they were all different shades, at the base they were the same. Blond, brunette, ebony hair didn't change that each was coiffured perfectly. Blue, brown, hazel eyes all shone with the same giddy amusement at the idea of playing Queen. Soul found his jaw tightening with each new face, his fingernails digging into the grains of wood in the arm of the chair. He was on the verge of bursting, of screaming for the sake of his sanity when number thirteen entered.

The girl lacked the stereotypical adornments, wearing nothing more than a simple emerald dress that seemed more designed for movement than for show. Her honey-blond hair was loose at her shoulders with no pearls, diamonds, or any shine other than its natural glow. The most surprising break was the fact that her eyes refused to avert, not demurely trailing the floor but staring at him, almost daring him to look anywhere else because he was powerless in their jade brilliance. In those eyes he clearly saw it: He knew her, or at least he was supposed to. As she took her place in the line the announcement rang in his ears, "Lady Maka of Mjolnir."

Soul could have missed it since a scuffle had started at his father's side with one of the stewards but as soon as the name was called out he heard Black Star mutter, "Oh, shit." He turned his head quickly, catching the bewildered amusement on his best friend's face before he had to turn his attention back to the low whispers that were now passing to his mother.

The Queen seemed to jump at whatever news, instantly spouting out, "It's been brought to our attention that there is some question about Lady Maka and her parentage."

 _In front of everyone, of course, you couldn't just wait_. Soul bristled for Maka, color starting to creep up his neck while he stared at his tactless mother. As he brought his eyes back to the woman in question he was surprised to still see that upturned chin, her green eyes clear of unease.

As he waited for her voice, it was Lady Marie of Mjolnir that peeked out from the crowd and spoke. "I beg your pardons, majesties. The girl's been officially adopted by the house. Her previous lineage isn't relevant."

"But she was technically a commoner, was she not?" The Queen offered back quickly without batting an eyelash.

"My Queen," Marie started but Soul was already on his feet, making her snap her lips shut.

"Lady Marie, your explanation is enough," Soul had to clench his fist tightly to keep his voice from wavering into its usual murmur. He forced the demand back again, his voice strangely booming in his head, "She'll participate just like the other girls. I'm deciding my bride, after all." As he sat he didn't dare look at his mother, instead focusing on the small crescent moons that had pressed into his palm.

"Well, you heard the prince," the Queen stumbled over the words, her eyes still focused on her son. "The potential brides are excused until this evening for the opening feast."

Soul stood, ready to shuffle out with the multitudes before his mother viciously grabbed his arm, keeping him frozen as each of the girls turned as they had come. Regardless of the rage he could feel storming behind him it was the one in front of him that had his attention. Maka's eyes still refused to leave his, but there was no sweet longing or nervousness, just a resolve that he couldn't unravel.

"My prince," Black Star slipped to his side, "if you'll excuse me."

"Go," Soul nodded.

"My pleasure." Black Star grinned before he set off after the eyes that had just left Soul so unsettled.

* * *

Black Star was trying not to bound. He rarely ran, only ever walking at a cool tempo because his speed was only necessary on the battlefield, but this was a development that had him racing. It wouldn't be prudent to grab her in the hallway so when he caught up with the gaggle he sunk to the periphery, just keeping tabs on the turns and direction of the pair of blond heads. Each step brought a new question to his mind but he knew his time was limited. Soul would be chewed out for ten minutes tops and that meant Black Star had fifteen before he'd be expected to be in Soul's quarters again.

And knowing Maka, she'd have a billion of her own with no intent on answering any of his.

Thankfully it was only a few more rooms before the two blonds slipped off behind one of the thick oak doors. Black Star was immediately behind them, both women gasping at the interruption.

"You!" Maka hissed.

"What? No, ' _It's been so long, I'm so happy to see you!'_?" Black Star crossed his arms as he leaned back against the door, barring any more interruptions.

"You haven't changed at all," Maka rolled her eyes as she deferred Marie.

Marie barely kept herself from mimicking Maka before she eased down onto one of the lounges. "Hello, Black Star."

"See, Lady Marie knows how to treat the captain of the prince's guard."

"Ugh, he promoted you?" Maka groaned with disgust.

"And you're _Lady_ Maka now," he raised his eyebrows.

"That-" She cut herself off as she crossed her arms, looking less mad and more like she was suddenly trying to keep herself together. "Tell Soul thank you for standing up for me," slipped from her lips begrudgingly.

"Soul?" Black Star laughed. "You better fix that first, _Lady_ Maka. Even I don't call him that unless it's us behind a closed door. And speaking of our prince…" His grin turned sickly.

Her green eyes were instantly boring into him, urging the answers that he didn't want to give.

"He's… not exactly the same old Soul. Not the way you remember him."

"He sounded like himself," Maka murmured.

"Let's just say that was the first time he's probably spoken out loud in court since… you know." Black Star rolled his wrist uselessly because he could see the answer drain all the color from her features. "He… doesn't remember."

Her eyes widened but her focus stayed to the floor. " _What_ doesn't he remember?"

"Everything," his voice was low and gravely. "At first it was just what happened, then a day later he'd forgotten the past few years. Now? I don't think he remembers anything after childhood anymore. Somehow he never loses the fact of his brother's death, but I'm starting to think he's been leaving notes for himself so he _has_ to remember."

Marie reached out her hand, letting it fall on Maka's arm but she shied away, turning her back to Black Star and moving out of Marie's grasp. "It doesn't matter. I'm here to win the position, that's all."

"To be his wife," Black Star laughed incredulously.

"To be the Queen," Maka snapped back.

Black Star's eyes settled on Marie. "What's being Queen got to do with it? What are the two of you planning?"

"The world's crumbling," Maka's voice trembled before it could catch to hold true. "It's not safe out there and the people here are pretending that there's no such thing as witches. It has to change."

Black Star had a million questions vying on his lips but he crushed them all, knowing his clock was ticking. "Alright, _my Queen_." He was grinning as Maka turned back to him, a frown glaring from her lips. "Wear purple. He always liked you in purple." The blush on her cheeks was priceless and Black Star used that humor to catapult him back into the hallway.

* * *

Soul was waiting, poised at the door for Black Star to enter. All of his mother's admonishments were gone from his mind, just the name running on repeat: _Maka_. The more he thought about it, conjuring the shape of her face, the wave of her hair, those eyes that dug deep into him, the more he knew that she was no stranger. Not to mention Black Star's reaction had been a dead giveaway and as soon as the captain walked through his door Soul was ready with the accusation, "You _know_ her!"

"Yeah," Black Star answered, fizzling the climatic feeling that Soul was trying to hold on to. "So do you."

His stomach curled in on itself as his legs turned to jelly underneath him. He took a hard seat on the bed before letting out a forlorn sigh. "I _don't_. I can feel it, somewhere, but I don't."

"Well, at least you feel it," Black Star offered weakly.

"Who is she?" Soul rarely begged especially for snippets of memory because they always seemed to slip back through his fingers like sand but at the very least he could write this down, review it again and again in hopes that it would stick. "Does she remember me?"

"Oh, hell yeah she does," he laughed. "But, and I know you're going to hate me, I think you should wait and see if this comes back to you on its own."

"It never does," Soul urged back. "No matter how much I try, it's always just hazy nothing."

Black Star shook his head firmly. "Not gonna budge, man. I really have a good feeling about this. Maka was-" He held off, but that desperation on Soul's face was already starting to melt some of his reserves. "She was important to you."

Soul groaned as he fell back on the bed. "Important," he lashed viciously only with the word, his hands falling uselessly at his sides.

"What'd the Queen say?" Black Star settled into Soul's bad mood rather than veer away.

"How dare I raise my voice," Soul sighed. "And that the contests would settle on who was really the right choice, not me."

"No way," Black Star smirked. "Everyone in court heard you say it. You're choosing your princess."

Soul brought himself up on his elbows to stare incredulously at him, "Do you know how insane that is? My parents were always going to have the final say. I don't even know why the hell I spoke up in the first place."

While he could spend the next hour arguing the real reason why but Black Star only offered a shrug. "I don't know, sounds like something you should actually challenge. Maybe this is a good place to make your first stand. The first would-be King decision."

"Would-be King," Soul collapsed with another sigh.

"Think about it. In the meantime, I do have recruits to get to." Black Star took a few steps closer, leaning over the bed to look Soul in the face. "Think about it."

"You said that," he muttered as he waved Black Star off. With a snort of a laugh, he walked away, leaving Soul to sink into his bed for a few breaths. As soon as he was sure that there were no footsteps on the return, Soul rolled over on his stomach and leaned over the edge of the bed, tugging the bound book from under the mattress. He flipped through page after page, his desperate writing filling each from top to bottom, to the beginning of the book. There in the corner, glaring at him just like those jade eyes was her name as clear as day.


	2. Chapter 2

Soul read through the notebook twice, almost daring a third time before stuffing it under the bed in frustration. It was just her name, only her name, and only on the very first page, never to be mentioned again. _Which means she's from that time. Right when it happened, or within the few years before it or else it'd be in here._ He had started writing the moment he and Black Star realized his mind was slipping away from him but the things from that time were still a black hole, one even Black Star refused to fill. _Other than she's important._

He stared at the wall and examined the grain fruitlessly before reaching his hand down again. It didn't make sense, what he was doing, since the memories he made now did seem to stick but his fingers were moving with his heart instead of his head as they often did. Soul moved to a free page and with charcoal in hand started his task, creating her shape in shade on the page. He was out of practice, seeing his own small imperfections as if they were glaring but as the time ticked away her visage was obvious. With stained fingers he reached for the pen and ink, putting the finishing touches of more scrambled writing in the margins, details that needed to be burned into his memory.

The bottom of the page filled with the desperate appeal, _I know her._

* * *

Marie had given her time, watching silently as Maka stared intently out the window. Her fingers were strained desperately into the fabric of her dress, making Marie less worried about the wrinkles than the thoughts that must be racing through her young charge's head. "Maka…"

"It doesn't mean we're out," Maka started, her voice tight. "I know we were betting that nostalgia would help catapult me to the top of the choices but there's still a chance without it. He did stand up for me."

"That's not what I'm worried about," Marie replied softly. "It must be frightening now to think that you could marry a stranger instead of your friend."

A trembling breath threatened at Maka's lips but she forced it out instead as a scoff. "I was always marrying a stranger."

"Maka…" Marie started from her seat, reaching for her.

Maka fought the closeness, backing another step towards the window. "I'm not stupid, Marie. He was _always_ a prince, and I was always just a girl. A few years together, running around like foolish children don't make that any different. I'd be an idiot if I ever let myself feel like it was anything other than a diversion for him, just a vacation from the palace and his responsibilities until he was called back. We were _never_ friends." The tears burning in her eyes were betraying her and Maka tried to will it away as she brought her eyes back to the window. "It's better that he doesn't remember me."

"It's just us, Maka," Marie murmured, finally closing Maka in enough that there was nowhere for her to hide. As Marie's soft hands found Maka's, the first tears slipped down her cheeks. "The next few days you'll have to be the bravest you've ever been, so right now, save it. Let this be the only moment of weakness."

Maka choked out a sob, her eyes still frantically looking out the window as she tried to stop the wave from hitting her. "Seeing him like that hurt, Marie."

"Oh, darling," Marie sighed, letting one hand leave hers to smooth over Maka's cheek.

A warbled sighed left her lips, "Why did I wish he'd look at me and smile like he used to? Instead, he only looked confused, panicked, and I was sure I'd made a mistake. I guess… it's better to know that's because he doesn't remember me, but maybe that hurts more. It all happened because of me and… I ruined him and now I'm trying to marry him."

"So that the kingdom isn't ruined in return," Marie urged. "And maybe there's something you can do to heal him along the way."

Maka shook her head swiftly, "You heard Black Star, he's changed. He's not the same."

Marie's encouraging fingers were running back down Maka's arm to clutch both of her hands again, shaking them. "Until he had to stand up for you, and then he came back to himself. You said it yourself, he sounded the same in that moment."

"Isn't that just wishful thinking?" Maka murmured helplessly.

"Let's be hopeful about both him and the kingdom."

Maka let another long breath of air tremble across her lips as she turned her eyes back to the window, letting a few more tears fall without hesitation. This would be her last moment of weakness, and she wanted to feel it, to let it take her. _What I missed is gone, and no matter what Marie says I'm sure it's not coming back._

* * *

The stewards were supposed to be tracking the girls during the feast, but Soul found his eyes doing their work, tracking each of their little idiosyncrasies with a mind that was supposed to be fuzzy. He was forcing his attention to split equally, to not focus on Maka even though to tear his eyes away from her when they did land was practically impossible. Like all of the other girls, she'd changed for the evening into another simple gown but it was such a deep alluring plum color that seemed to stir something in the back of his mind, another one of those feelings that weren't exactly memories.

This was secretly one of the tests, an on-the-spot measure of etiquette that most of them seemed to be passing. One or two that were drinking past the amount his mother would frown at since a lady was supposed to remain joyous but her wits intact and a few had napkins or forks misplaced. He couldn't determine what bearing that had on whether or not a woman would make a good wife but he watched it nonetheless. The conversation was more of his interest anyway, the vapid, useless chatter that would probably fill his ear and his day if he did marry one of them.

Soul got the joy of the first-hand introduction to these conversations as he was asked, or realistically ordered, to pass from table to table and produce something close to greeting. Each table was the same, the girl standing and offering her hand, him taking it and while he was expected to plant a soft kiss at the knuckles, Soul couldn't bring himself to do so. Instead, it was just an awkward hold before he dropped it. He was lucky that after introductions it was often a flood of lines to prove the girl's worth, whether it came from her mouth or her companions. None of them were humble enough to curb their bragging and Soul's ears were filled with random accomplishments that he could never hope to remember. _Thankfully Black Star is as bad as a milk-maid when it comes to gossip. I'll get it all again tomorrow with at least his amusing take as a filter._

There wasn't an ounce of nervousness until his eyes met Maka's again, watching her stand dutifully and extend a gloved hand. His reach took an eternity and when his hand met the leather he oddly felt a grin come to his lips. "You refuse to remove your gloves?"

Maka didn't blink or flinch, "I don't see why I should have to."

He felt something in his fingertips, a burning that made his lips stretch into a full-blown smirk, his cheeks aching from disuse. "What if your prince ordered it?"

"I would ask my prince why," she shot back immediately.

Soul could feel the eyes of the room since he'd now held her hand for far past the expected time and while it should be a conversation had in low whispers, Maka hadn't tempered her voice. None of it actually derailed him and he used their connected hand to pull her a stumbling step closer. "I don't usually get asked why. I get what I order."

This was the only time she paused, her eyes examining every inch of his face before just barely letting the whisper leave her lips. "Then you have changed."

Maka took the opportunity to snatch her fingers from him as his grip loosened with the words screaming in his head, _She does know me! I know her, I know her!_ "I apologize," he murmured.

"It's no offense, just like the gloves are not meant as an offense to you, my prince." The smallness of her voice was forgotten, thrown away to adopt that firm air.

"It's nice to see you again, my prince," Marie butted in as she pulled at the back of Maka's dress, dropping her back to her seat.

"Ah, yes, it's been some time, Lady Marie." The shame of the lie turned over his gut. _And how much time I don't know, since I don't know that we do know each other. Just like her, you're all ghosts to me._ "I hope all has been well," he added lamely. _Damn it, I hate talking like this, the formality, the pomp. I sound like an idiot._

"Fine, thank you. We were visited by your captain earlier today," Marie let that drift off with a smile that left Soul strangling for his next line.

"I'm surprised you made him captain," Maka let slip unchecked, a grumble starting in her voice.

"Why?" Soul shot back without a second thought. "He's the best fighter I have."

"He's an idiot," Maka laughed.

Soul's eyebrows knotted as he sent out an accusatory finger. "He's a loyal friend."

Maka raised her eyebrows right back and her hand wavered as if she was about to swat his but thought better of it. "But you don't deny his childishness."

"I don't know. After your stubbornness just now are you one to talk?" The words had just flowed from his lips without a second thought, all social niceties disappeared as his smirk sparked back to life.

The second after left him dumbfounded especially as she smiled right back at him and shot back without hesitation, "Those are hardly comparable, So-" Maka's lips suddenly snapped shut, for the first time fear coming to her eyes.

 _My name, she was going to call me just by my name. So she knows me well enough to feel liberties to use my name?_ "So?" Soul set her up, watching as a slow breath of relief came from Maka's lips.

"So the question still stands: why promote him?" The playfulness was gone, a sentence just grasping at making sense, but she seemed thankful for the chance as her eyes softened for a moment.

Soul fought the feeling to grab her hand again, suddenly realizing that it was the proximity alone that was doing something to him, urging another one of those phantom feelings. Those words that passed between them had been charged, different to the point where he didn't have the drive or ability to avoid them. There was a deep need there, one that threatened to overpower the constant dull ache in his chest. _I know her. I know her_ , beat with his heart again. "Because I never forget my friends."

* * *

Maka had resisted the idea at first but Marie had pressed it especially as the sun had abandoned them and the pacing was all she could manage instead of sleeping. She wasn't sure how a bath was going to turn the tide but the promise of pampering held at least a modicum of enticement. Servant girls were filling the tub, one rushing after the other in what seemed like an endless line that produced steamy, hot water. As the tub finally filled almost to the brim one of the girls came back empty-handed, her head bowed, "My lady, what fragrance do you require?"

"Fragrance?" Maka narrowed her eyes. This kind of bathing was a luxury and the thought that more came with it than just tantalizingly warm water was leaving her spellbound.

"My lady, we have rose, lavender, orange blossom, jasmine…"

Maka's mind raced at the idea, the absurdity of this kind of pampering making her want to strike down the idea but between Marie's whispers in the back of her mind and the fact that at least she could excuse one scent as curse cleansing she gave in. "Jasmine, please."

"Right away, my lady."

 _Three times in a row, my lady, my lady, my lady,_ Maka sighed as she looked back at the bathwater. _And it could be my Queen, my Queen, my Queen, if he…_ Even though it was the hope, Maka banished the thought, just as she tried to push any other related to him away. The girl came back and with her brought one last bucket, this one mostly filled with the small, white flowers before she upended it into the water. The waft of that sweet floral scent immediately saturated the room, making Maka dizzy with the perfume. She was disrobed, another strange custom that she had to whisper to herself to get used to.

The soak was utter perfection, her skin tingling from head to toe as the warmth sunk to her bones. She couldn't begrudge Marie for a second, not as she soaked down to her hair, her face the only thing not obscured by water. After a few deep breaths, her muscles started to untangle, leaving only her mind still wound tight from the day. She surfaced, letting her hair drip as it cascaded across her shoulders as his face flooded back to her. _It was that smile. He wore it tonight when he spoke to me but it didn't seem like he knew it was there, that he was using it. The old Soul used to-_ She tried to shut the lid on that idea but a miserable sigh left her lips as she struggled vainly. _It used to be obvious all over his entire face like you could cover his lips and still know it was hiding behind there, but tonight it was just his mouth. His eyes, maybe his heart-_

It was the door that brought that thought to a halt and as she turned her head over the rim, hoping for a servant or Marie, her blood started to boil. "How dare you!"

Black Star hushed her, finger to his lips before taking it away to whisper, "I get it, Maka, but-"

"You pervert!" Maka was floundering, thankful that the pedals gave away nothing beneath the water but still feeling the blush staining her cheeks.

"I'm here to help you, idiot, so shut up," Black Star hissed quietly before disappearing below the lip of the tub as he crouched. "Look, see? I can't see a damn thing. _As if I wanted to_."

"Still, what makes you think it's appropriate to sneak into a woman's bath?" Maka moved enough that her chin rested on the edge since there was no yelling at someone without eye contact. "And how the hell do you expect to help me?"

Black Star rolled his eyes before huffing, "You want to win this contest, don't you?"

"I… of course, why else would I be here?" _Because you wanted to see him, you wanted to know if…_ That lid quickly shut as Maka bit her tongue.

"Then after you're done here, you go down the west staircase. Walk until there's another staircase on your right, that one's a spiral, and then you can follow the music from there."

"The music?" Maka was slowly feeling the impropriety drain away as she tried to store away his directions in her mind.

"This time of night he's playing. He'll play until, well, probably all night with all this shit going on."

"Playing?" She could see the question hit him with annoyance.

"The organ. He's so weird," Black Star laughed.

"Did he always play?" The question came easily since as she searched back through each of their memories together it was never over music.

"His whole life," Black Star's grin curled deviously. "You don't tell the girl you like that, not exactly a cool talent."

Maka sighed with a shake of her head, "He never liked-"

"Shut up," Black Star waved a hand in her face. "Look, just do what I say. Go down after you're done here. You don't have to do much other than say hello to him unless you _want_ to." His eyebrows waggled, amused again by the color change on her cheeks. Black Star started back on his feet, his back purposefully to her and he slunk back to the door.

"Why are you helping me?"

Black Star rested his hand on the door, a sigh breaking his lips. "Look, after we came back here, left you guys, I thought he was going to die. Not just because of what happened but because he… even if he couldn't remember it was like his heart did. Being torn away from all of the things he had _and_ his brother dying? And even though he's supposed to be better thanks to all these potions and shit I know he's not. He told me the nightmares are worse but I think there's more than that and he's hiding it. That's what scares him about this, not having a wife, but letting someone get that close to him because I'm afraid he feels the same way I do - like he's still dying, just slowly."

He turned his glance to the far wall, getting her just in his periphery so he could take in the pain on her face. _Didn't think anybody could look as pitiful as me but there it is. Looks like I predicted right: she's still his even if she doesn't seem to know it._ "Out of all those girls, I think you're the only one who can be trusted with this, with him. I think you're the only one he'll let in again."

"But he doesn't remember me," Maka murmured.

"I think his heart does," Black Star shrugged as he turned back to the door. "It's up to you to try to see if you can get his mind on the same page."

* * *

Soul wasn't sure whether it was the feeling or the scent. Both seemed to instantly overpower him, a buzz in the air that seemed to toy with the one he always felt in his chest. The jasmine that lingered made him sure he wasn't going crazy and as his fingers eased off the keys and he turned his head, the motion of the curtain was the last piece he needed. "You know it's rude to eavesdrop."

There was silence but he could swear he saw the curtain quiver again.

"No one's ever come to hear me play," he offered before pressing a key, letting the note fill the emptiness. "Do you have any requests?"

"What you were just playing."

If the feeling hadn't been enough the voice was, a trembling starting in Soul's stomach as he just barely stopped her name from jumping off his lips. "That's something I wrote. It's not very good."

There was a pause and he waited for movement again from the fabric. Instead, her voice came softer this time, "It sounded beautiful to me."

He was toeing the line and he sucked in a slow breath before letting out, "Come out from behind the curtain and I will."

"It's improper."

"To see you?"

"To be alone together in the same room."

A healthy smirk lit up his face and he felt a memory lapping at him again, calling him desperately to remember it. "So a curtain is enough of a boundary to keep me from taking advantage of you?"

"Or I might take advantage of you," came back with a healthy dose of gall.

His own laugh surprised him as he turned back to the keys. "Well, I'll play something else then. I'm keeping that song for when you get the nerve to show your face." He started at the keys and pedals again, the room floating with an airy melody.

"My prince has already seen my face."

"You'll have to speak up," he called behind him.

Her voice was straining over the music, "My prince has already seen my face."

"Don't call me that," Soul let out gruffly. "You almost called me my name today."

"I don't know what you're talking about," snapped back.

Soul stopped the music and turned on the bench. He found that voice from earlier bubbling from his throat again, the playfully annoyed tone almost alien to him. "Fine, then, _curtain lady_ , since I have no way of knowing who you are, you can call me my name. Soul. No one's going to behead you for it down here."

There wasn't a reply to this and he was afraid he'd driven her off.

"You're one of the girls, aren't you?" he tried.

"Yes, _Soul_." His name came off her lips with venom but it didn't bother him in the least, instead, it made the chuckling return as he closed the cover on the organ.

Soul turned completely on the bench and leaned back against the covered keys. "How did you find me?"

"I heard music, I followed it."

That sly smile was making his cheeks ache but there was no way to kill it, the amusement seeming to deaden everything else. "Hard to hear music from the guest quarters."

"I was walking. I couldn't sleep."

"We have that in common," Soul sighed. "Is it the palace?"

"It's fine here," came with a deep sigh and another rustle of the fabric. There were gatherings in the material now and he was sure she had it balled in her fists.

"I guess that was a stupid question," Soul murmured. "It's probably the idea that you're probably being forced to try to marry a stranger."

"Most people marry strangers, don't they?"

Soul nodded until he realized his mistake, "That doesn't make it any less fucking terrible."

A sweet barely smothered laugh erupted from behind the curtain. "You talk like a commoner, Soul."

"I prefer them, so talking like them is easier. It's the stuffy bullshit I have to put up with in the halls that's hard."

"You've spent time with commoners?"

"My best friend, the captain of my guard is," Soul shrugged. "I like the kitchens, too. The girls in there actually have the nerve to tease me. Sometimes it's nice to be reminded that you're human."

"You need to be reminded of that?"

"You'd be surprised how often it feels necessary." Soul brought himself to his feet and took a few steps forward before pausing. "I promise I'm not going to move the curtain, so don't… don't leave just yet."

There was still panic in the voice, "Why are you coming closer?"

"Because…" He took careful steps to the curtain, trying to keep them quiet enough that his nearness might be obscured. His hand trembled as he reached for one of the bundles of fabric and closed his hand around it. There was only a second's worth of strain before the fist stopped resisting in his, letting him flex his fingers into the curtain. He imagined the hand on the other side, daydreaming of intertwining fingers and for a second a flash filled his vision: lily-white, fine fingers in his, delicate despite knowing that they had worked, fought, lived harder than he ever had. "Maka."

"That's the last girl," came quickly and frantic.

"I know it's you," he murmured.

"I should go."

"One more minute," the pleading was pathetic but the connection, even with the cloth between them was singing in his mind. "I think I used to feel _more_ human, like there were moments, people who did that. I was somewhere I was happy. Sometimes it feels like it was another life, but I know it was mine. For a second, just now, I think I saw it. Being near you, connecting with you did that, Maka."

The hand tugged away from his and he let it with a forlorn sigh. When the scent was gone he pulled aside the curtain and eyed the darkness until it was time to go back to the organ.


	3. Chapter 3

Maka was sure that this was the strangest contest that she could ever imagine, but while it had all the other girls in a tizzy she didn't give it a second thought. It was simple enough and should be for any of these maidens who most likely had nothing better to do in their spare time than read through ancient texts. It should be her, the _commoner_ , who was floundering.

Instead, she was wringing her hands together because she couldn't get rid of the feeling of his fingers. Maka hadn't worn her gloves because she had told herself there was no chance she was actually even going to speak to him, just watch from afar and try to gather information. Opening her big mouth was what she did instead, saying his name and all. To make matters worse, the curtain between them might as well have been made of gauze for the good it did blocking the contours of his hand over hers and all that did was bring back the memory in the woods, the way he'd interlaced their fingers before pulling her closer and-

"Lady Maka, it's your turn." The steward was leaning over now, his face too close for comfort with an annoyed air that told her this wasn't the first time she'd been summoned.

Maka nodded sharply, not offering the apology that wanted to tilt off her tongue. _Ladies don't apologize to servants. They may think you're a commoner but don't act like one. Give them doubt._ She stood and started after the man back to the great hall. It was hard enough to stomach the trumpets but the added blare again of her name grated on her. The Queen had a particular shade of disdain that she only seemed to save for Maka but looking at her son's face seemed to melt it all away.

She had expected some kind of coarseness or agitation leftover from her most likely irritating behavior the night before but it was his smile. Maka had to tell herself she was stone, impenetrable and resolute because it was threatening to make him look almost too much like the old Soul. She wanted to tear her eyes away because she was sure it was a mirage, just an old memory of the fifteen-year-old boy, but there was no chance. There was the promise she'd made Marie anyway, that she would never drop her gaze. _A Queen doesn't do that._

Maka sat without ceremony or arranging her dress since that was one of the few places in this farce that she chose to put her foot down with Marie. Her gowns were still made to move in, never hindering in case she needed to unsheath one of her weapons since there was always the possibility that the castle was no better than the village. So far, the only danger seemed to be the way he looked at her, but Maka wasn't about to take any chances.

"Please recite the family lineages for our house." The Queen popped pertly from her lips, already congratulating herself on stumping the poor peasant fool.

Slowly, Maka inhaled before starting the long list that she had memorized by the time she could read. It was luck that Papa's way of showing love was reading with her and that his favorite had always been history, leading to bedtime stories that were mostly just a tangle of genealogy. Since this had been the greatest of all houses, of course this was the one that most often was run through, leaving her with the clear memory of his voice to guide her through each name.

Horror was dawning on the Queen's face while the smile that Maka so feared was growing on Soul's. He had started to lean forward in the chair abandoning yesterday's attempts at looking unbiased and leaving only his eyes for her. Maka met them, held them, happy that the words were so ingrained or else her voice most certainly would have warbled. As her mouth formed the final name, that of the man who was still staring so intently at her, Maka smiled, "Would you like the other houses, my Queen? I can recite most, if not all."

Before the Queen could even form words in the gape that was her mouth, Soul let out a sharp laugh, sending his mother's stern eyes to him. "Well, mother, I think it's worth hearing, don't you? Most of the other girls stumbled over the earlier lines and Lady Maka-"

"Fine," the Queen hissed.

"Please, continue," Soul even added a wave of his hand, making it hard for Maka to resist rolling her eyes.

 _And that bastard knows it, he's being… himself. Teasing like he used to. I can hear him now, with that snarky laugh and 'bookworm' rolling off his tongue._ The lists were the only thing that saved her from any more of those thoughts.

She recited a few more houses, watching the Queen only kept awake by the thin veil of anger she couldn't help but wear. The next time she paused to take a breath, the Queen interjected. "That is quite enough."

"Thank you, my Queen, for the opportunity," Maka chimed pleasantly.

She risked another glance at him and watched with anxiety as that smile parted his lips again. "I'll escort Lady Maka out." Every muscle felt frozen as Soul's brought him to her, his elbow jutting out for her. Maka slipped a gloved hand in the crux before he started the walk forward. "I'm supposed to walk each girl back. Make small-talk," he murmured softly.

"And I'm sure you've had many interesting conversations," Maka muttered. "I'm not surprised that you said most of them faltered. I'm not sure half of them have practiced reading enough to actually be any good at it."

"Spoken like a true bookworm," he laughed.

Maka almost stopped dead in her tracks but they hadn't reached the end of the hall and the Queen was most likely still staring down her back.

Soul pulled his elbow in closer, forcing the space between them to shrink. His words were soft, only for her since the hallway that they'd turned into was still populated every few feet by guards. "I'm sorry, I think that upset you."

"No," Maka tried to laugh but it sounded sickly. "Also, apologizing to me is below you, isn't it? You are the prince, after all, and I'm just a lady." Silence slipped between them, words starting and failing on Maka's tongue as even with the glove she could feel him, a strange storm starting next to her. She was sure if she even got a corner of his bare skin to hers she'd be hearing a clamorous tempest reverberate under her fingers. The idea of reading him, while she promised herself she wouldn't, was starting to feel tempting.

His elbow fell away as they reached the door, but as Maka put her hand to the wood his fist slammed into it, freezing her in place. "I know I don't remember the things I should." Maka brought her eyes to his and saw the anger she had expected this morning. "But I will never forget to treat _anyone_ the same as me. I may be your prince but you… _you_ …"

The first second's worth of fear at his rage was gone, Maka smiling softly as she peeled his hand from the door. It was swift, knowing the hallways had eyes, but she brought it between them with a squeeze before letting it go. "I think it's me who should be apologizing." Soul was still entranced by the all too hasty touch, barely following her words until she spoke again. "Maybe you haven't changed much at all."

* * *

Tonight, even as he felt the presence and was once again overwhelmed with jasmine, Soul kept playing. He hadn't even expected her to return again, not with the pathetic end to the night before and then his outburst this morning. The strange anger that had overtaken him had been an old feeling, he was sure of it, something residual from the blank space in his mind, and he was convinced it was her hand on his elbow was stirring those things to the surface. That mystery was what had urged tonight's playing, and by the time she arrived, he was almost sure she'd said something like that before to him, that he was a prince and she was…

"Soul," came just loud enough to overpower the music.

"Maka," he answered softly just as the music ceased from his fingers.

There was a shuffle at the curtain before a sigh, "Why do you come down here every night?"

He contemplated closing the organ and turning to the curtain but a part of him was still storming, leaving him motionless on the bench. "It helps me think."

"Instead of sleeping?" The sentence was offered playfully but there was still worry there.

"I have nightmares," he offered weakly. "It's pathetic like I'm a kid, but I'm scared of them." The truth wasn't any more freeing now than when he told Black Star about them for the first time and another wave gripped Soul. _When will it feel different? Or when will it finally just kill me?_

"What are they?"

Soul blinked at the keys, unsure if he'd ever put those dark moments into words. "There's this demon, and he speaks to me, about fear, about power." The beating of his heart was starting to drown out the world.

"Is that what scares you?"

"No," he was surprised by the admission and even more so that the next words weren't stuck on his tongue, just reaching out for her, "It's what comes next. When I have to leave, I'm ripping, tearing out of someone."

"You don't know who?"

"No," he groaned. "I just know… I love her and I'm killing her." The thrum in his chest spiked in pain and he grunted, his fist coming to press to the scar.

"Are you alright?"

"It's nothing," he muttered. "Maybe you should leave. I'm not good company tonight."

The silence in return convinced him that she was gone and just as a sigh was about to tremble over his lips her voice broke through it, "Will you come to the curtain?"

The question was barely off her lips before he was on his feet, his heart leading his feet in quick steps. He looked for the bundled fabric but it was her hand he found instead, one with lily-white, fine fingers peeking from the side of the curtain. "What happened to impropriety?" he whispered breathlessly.

"Just take my hand, Soul," she snipped back.

Soul tried to produce a laugh but there wasn't enough air as he reached a wobbly hand to her. They looked cool but her fingers were filled with warmth as they tangled with his and there was no chance for Soul to catch his breath before the hazy dreams were coming back to his mind. He could hear the words coming off his tongue:

" _Don't treat me like I'm some fragile-"_

" _Prince, you're a prince," came her voice back sharply._

" _Not with Black Star, not with you," he was pleading. "After a year you'd think you'd realize that, Maka."_

_He couldn't see her, the outline still nothing more than light around a frame but he could swear she was crying. "But eventually-"_

" _I'm never leaving here," Soul shot back. "My parents don't care. My brother will be King and I can do whatever I want and I want to stay here. I can train, I can protect this kingdom like you do. I can-"_

" _You're a prince," came again firmly from her lips._

" _I'm not when I'm with you," those words had been shaky, unsure, and he felt something rise up in his own chest that he couldn't recognize, a fluttering that wasn't from the scar. "And you're not just some girl. Don't forget that."_

"Soul?"

His fingers tensed desperately in hers as he was sure she was about to pull away but found no resistance. "You cried that day," his voice was still faint from the dream.

A breathless laugh came from the other side of the curtain, "I hate to admit this, but you'll have to be more specific. There wasn't exactly just one day I cried in front of you."

"The one like today. It's not the first time you've tried to tell me I was a prince and you were just… you used to call yourself _just a girl_." He had to catch his breath because he could feel the moment start to flesh out more in the back of his mind instead of crumbling apart and with a scared hope, he wondered if it had cemented itself in his mind again.

"You are a prince," Maka murmured.

"But I told you not to forget that you're not just some girl," he urged back as the relief came in another wave, the words refusing to fade away from his mind.

"Maybe that's part of why I'm here," she barely let the sound break her lips as she unraveled their fingers and her hand slipped back behind the curtain.

Even without her touch, his heart was thundering, the words shivering on the tip of his tongue. "What happened between the two of us?" As he tore the fabric aside, sure he needed to see her face as she answered him, he found nothing but the darkness.

* * *

Black Star was tipping his chair back, the cup of mead perfectly balanced on his chest as he stared up at the stars. He was actually close to content and was well on his way to convincing himself to go down to the kitchens in an hour or so to see if he couldn't scare up a skirt to spend the night under when all of it came crashing down, literally. Maka had kicked the tilt in the chair, sending him without a hope toppling to his back as the fruity alcohol washed over his neck and face. He sputtered out of his joyful thoughts just in time for Maka's foot to hit his throat.

"You _lied_ to me!" Maka hissed.

Black Star would have sputtered out a laugh if he had the breath to do it, so he grabbed Maka's foot, ripping it out from underneath her and gifting her a hard landing on her rear. As soon as his airway was free he laughed as she groaned. "You need to plant more weight on your foot. Really lean into the choke or you're going to get thrown every time." Black Star continued to cackle as he rolled onto his side, propped up on his elbow. "So what did I lie about?"

"It's worse than you said." She'd used every last inch of self-control not to move to strangle him.

"With Soul?"

"Of course!"

Black Star blinked in thought before letting the vowel elongate from his throat, "Oh! You must have gotten better at that hand thing you used to do. Which means you touched him? Wow, Maka, and I thought you were a prude!"

"I touched his _hand_ ," Maka spat.

"Scandalous," Black Star rolled his eyes. "I mean, you really want to become Queen I'm sure he'd let you-"

"Shut up," Maka kicked her leg out into his side, only hitting at half-strength as he grasped her ankle.

"Ugh, who am I kidding, Soul has never even kissed a girl." Black Star wasn't above laying the bait.

"That's not-" Maka blushed.

"Not important or not true, huh?" Black Star raised his eyebrows.

The pink turned to red on her cheeks which was enough of an amusing answer for him. As he tried to abate his own chuckles, Black Star leaned closer to her. "What'd you find out when you two held hands?"

Maka let the annoyance float away as the worry that had sent her in search of Black Star in the first place took its place. "I've never felt anything like it. It was black, oily, a curse but not. It's closer to madness and he's… the strength that it must be taking to keep it locked away like he has is enormous."

"Well, he's no sissy," Black Star shrugged. "But it's been getting harder to keep it in check. His nightmares are every night now. The physician or whatever the hell she is has been trying a bunch of different remedies but-"

"A physician?"

"Or herbalist, or apothecary, I can't figure her out, but she was the one to treat him when he came home with that wound to begin with." Black Star watched with interest as the suspicion started to harden her eyes.

"And that still bothers him, the wound?"

"Well, I mean, it's huge, the scar's from his hip to his armpit, so…" Black Star knew better than to continue as she sucked in a weak breath. "Yeah. He says it aches sometimes."

"All the time," Maka corrected. "I could feel it."

"Fuck," Black Star sighed. Hesitantly, he reached for her, his hand hovering closer to her shoulder. "Hey, I'm sure if he knew he'd tell you not to-"

"Shut up," Maka snapped desperately as she motioned away his hand. "I want to meet this physician."

"Well, you're in luck, she's looking you all over tomorrow. The future Queen needs a clean bill of health." Black Star couldn't help the grin from pulling at the corner of his mouth. "You think there's trouble?"

"Of course there is," Maka sighed. "I knew this wasn't going to be easy."

"Hey, nothing with you two ever is," Black Star laughed. "But you gotta tell me, you _just_ held hands?"

Maka tried to jab him with a kick again but his grip on her ankle was too tight. "Yes, and… he's remembering things. Pieces of conversations, maybe moments. I think I can influence it, too. Tonight what he described was a fight I'd actually been thinking about."

"Hey, lay off the fights, you're supposed to be wooing him."

Maka scoffed, "Wooing him? Isn't it the other way around?"

"Keep thinking that and it'll be the other girls he woos," Black Star pointed an accusing finger. "I told you to use these nights to your advantage. Remind him what annoying shit made him fall for you the first time around." As she opened her mouth, he wagged his finger again, "And don't start with that stupid bullshit that he didn't. Before the Queen ordered him back, he was ready to spend his life there with you, you know that."

"With all of us," Maka corrected as she brought her hands to her cheeks, trying to will away the burn.

"Well, I went without mentioning, that idiot can't live without me," Black Star crowed before he let a smirk settle on her. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm glad it was you."

"How do I take that the wrong way?" She laughed weakly.

"Don't think I approve of this whole marriage bullshit," Black Star kept grinning as he let his head fall back on his arm with a sigh. "And you can be the most annoying woman I've ever met-"

"Thank you," Maka interjected with a grumble.

"But you made him happy back then." Black Star's mind was elsewhere, his eyes trailing the cobblestone. "I just want him to be happy again."


	4. Chapter 4

Maka made sure to fidget just the right amount. A lady was supposed to be nervous when undressed and while she could produce it on cue there wasn't an ounce of it in her heart as she watched the woman with tightly wrapped blond braids and yellow eyes stare back at her. "And the gloves, why do you wear them?" The questions were all invasive but each one came with a slim grin.

With a sweet smile, Maka wiggled her fingers and put them on display between the two of them. "It's just that it's improper, a young woman allowing her bare skin to touch a man's. If we're betrothed, that's different, but the prince is still a man. He might get the wrong idea if I were to touch him with bare hands." The vapidness of her own voice amused her and she could only imagine the snickering from Black Star or Soul at the explanation.

The physician examined her fingers with mild interest before nodding. "And you've started your monthly bleeding?"

Maka bit back the grimace. "Since I was twelve."

"And your mother bore how many children?" Her eyes darted up to Maka's as she tilted her head. "I'm sorry, you're the orphan, aren't you? If you are unsure…"

She was sure there was a smile hiding behind those words, amusement at the pain that it could bring. "I was an only child, but my mother disappeared, so it was not a problem of not being able to have more if that is what concerns the crown."

"Ah," the physician's smile remained the same but Maka was sure there was calculation rather than commiseration in those eyes. "Your mother, she was that witch hunter, wasn't she?"

Maka let out a trill giggle. "Are those the rumors the other girls are spreading? I know my parentage is in question and I suppose that leads to these fantastic stories. As far as I know, my mother was a mother. My father was, _is_ a soldier. He fought in the Witch Wars and earned some acclaim but-"

"But you're an Albarn, correct?"

"I am a Mjolnir," Maka kept the sweet, insipid smile while beneath the surface her blood was boiling. _Those rumors spread too fast. We still have three more days._

"I apologize, that was simply my own curiosity, nothing for the crown to worry about," the physician offered a dismissive wave of her hand. "Would you mind turning around for me?"

Maka was glad to get away from that stare but the idea of putting her back to this woman didn't settle with her. As she moved, Maka kept her eyes over her shoulder, watching the physician in her periphery. A cold finger ran up Maka's spine and she couldn't stop a gasp.

"Again, I apologize. The castle here is drafty and even with the fire I fear my hands are a lost cause." The chill stopped but the woman didn't step away. "You can turn back around now."

With a deep breath, Maka scrambled her feet, letting herself lose her balance as she tried to turn back towards the physician. As she teetered, the other woman grabbed Maka, giving her the opportunity to place a hand on top of hers. Maka refused the change in breathing and the flush that wanted to come to her face. Instead, she let another goofy smile slip across her lips. "I'm sorry, I'm just so nervous. This whole process has been… well, very trying."

"Have you been sleeping alright?" The concern was perfectly faked and Maka would have believed it if it hadn't been for the touch.

"No, I often pace at night. I assume as soon as this is over I'll be back to normal, but it's been difficult."

As soon as Maka steadied on her feet the physician released her, "If you'd like, I can make something that will help. I'll have it delivered to your room this evening."

"Would you?" Maka gushed. "That would just be so helpful."

"Consider it an apology for my rude behavior before," that saccharine smile returned.

Maka let a hand fall to the table, grabbing at her robe before she pulled on one sleeve. "Please, it was nothing, but… would you mind telling me your name? I always like to have the name of people I'm indebted to." She slipped on the second sleeve as the physician kept that steady smile.

"Medusa."

* * *

Without a single word, Black Star had grabbed Soul. It was far too early for any of the usual drunken carousing and Soul was sure his mother would be instantly on the lookout for him. Technically he was supposed to be in the great hall now, awaiting the physician's findings on the girls though none of that sounded appealing to him at all. It was actually intrusive, horrible behavior that had made him cringe when his mother described it but he had little choice in the face of the heir argument. The insinuation was that every one of those girls would need to be able to bear a child, and he'd been actively trying not to fall into much thought on that because Black Star's warning rang true: What did he want to see on the wedding night?

Soul knew Black Star excelled at chasing skirts and had tried to _share the wealth_ with his friend at one point or another but Soul's preference ran towards going to bed by himself. Maybe it was the nightmares or the gruesome scar he carried across his chest and in his heart. Whatever it was he'd avoided the idea of soft curves and bare skin, but it was possible that after last night, after that unanswered question his mind had created a few not so unpleasant answers.

And as Black Star pushed him towards the music room he couldn't help but let a few of those daydreamed memories back into his mind, revived by the view of the curtain and the possibilities of how much more improper that hand could get. He was rushed behind the curtain without a word and as he turned his head back to bark at his friend for an explanation all the air left him. Soft hands were pressed desperately to his chest and when he looked back those jade eyes were giant as her face was only a few inches from his. "You can't take any more of those tinctures."

"What?" he barely squeaked out as the heat practically strangled him as it crept up his neck.

Maka was leaning closer, her voice in a whisper just meant for him. "Medusa, that woman who you all call a physician, she's a witch."

Gone were his daydreams, the blush shutting off with a cold certainty as he grabbed her shoulders to give them a firm shake back to reality. "A witch? There's no such thing anymore, Maka."

"You're wrong, and keep your voice down," she spat back. "Whatever she's giving you has to be tainted. That's why you've only gotten worse. Soul, promise me you won't take another one. When she has them sent to you, put on a good show but _do not_ drink another."

"What if you're wrong?" Soul whispered. "What if I stop taking them and I… this all gets worse."

Maka shook her head firmly, "They haven't stopped the pain in your scar, the hum of voices in your head, or-"

"How do you know that?" He erupted, his fingers tightening against her shoulders. "I didn't tell you that, I didn't tell _anyone_ that."

For the first time, he watched her falter, her lip trembling before she let out a slow sigh. "If I touch you with my bare hand, touch anyone, I can read what their soul says. I told myself I wouldn't do that to you but last night…"

"So you took all my secrets without telling me? Without giving me a damn explanation?" He shook her again and whatever whispers were in the back of his mind refused to be quiet, new ideas beckoning as his fingers tightened.

As his hand pulled at the fabric, it slipped off her shoulder and sent her robe askew. "Calm down," she ordered as she placed a warm hand firmly to his cheek.

Suddenly, in the room and in his head there was silence. There was no more throb in his chest, instead replaced by a fluttering that left him breathless. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he could feel more puzzle pieces locking into place, tiny moments flashing in the background. A bakery in the early morning. A library with that sweet but musty smell of old paper. The way Maka used to put her hair in pigtails and never wear it down as she did now. Amusement at her and Black Star bickering like siblings until one or the other brought him into the fight.

"Better?" she murmured.

"How did you…?"

"I can kind of do both," Maka smiled softly. "When it's something a witch has done I can usually negate it. Not permanently, but I can quiet it down enough that you get some reprieve."

"But the memories?" Soul was still sifting through them but all of it was leaving him buzzing.

"That I don't know." Maka tried to pull her hand away but he suddenly clasped his over it, keeping her locked in place. "It'll last for a little while, even if I'm not touching you. Maybe you… did you sleep better last night, after we talked?"

"No," he still refused to relinquish her hand, keeping it tight against his skin. "But that was probably for other reasons," followed in an almost inaudible mutter. With all the rest going on in his head it was only now that he realized that she was still just in the robe from her check-up which had flimsily pulled apart by his rough treatment of her. There was nothing much to see other than her shoulder and the fine curve that hinted at the dip between her breasts but that was more than enough to light his face up as crimson as his eyes. "I'm sorry." Soul released her, turning quickly on his heels both to hide and to give her an ounce of dignity back.

"Oh," came her little warbled sigh at his back. "It's not… nothing happened and I wasn't here to… I wasn't trying to… _be inappropriate_ ," Maka barely eked the words out.

"No, I know, and I, grabbing you like that, I wasn't trying to…"

"I know," Maka interrupted, saving him from the shame that was spreading like fire in his gut. "I just needed to catch you before you took anything else from her. I don't know what her plans are but our first move should at least be loosening her control on you. And you… what's happening to you has to be able to be fixed or at least remedied."

Amidst all of the frantic embarrassment, he felt the hope blossom. "You think so?"

"Just keep meeting me here and I'll do what I can," Maka said firmly.

Soul would waver if he didn't look at her, and when he turned the blush on her cheeks made it worse, his voice faltering. "But in a few days…"

Maka shook her head quickly, "I don't want to talk about that."

He narrowed his eyes at her, "But you and I-"

"Soul, please-"

"We have to leave," Black Star popped his head through the curtain before grabbing a hold of Soul's arm. "You've already spent too long down here. Save it for tonight."

Soul let Black Star pull him back through the fabric. He wasn't sure what was going to be worse, listening to findings of those exams or filing through all of the questions left unanswered.

* * *

Maka had been decidedly quiet all through dinner and as Soul made the rounds to the tables as he seemed to have been instructed to, Marie noticed a new tightness between the two of them. She could swear it bordered on embarrassment but there was also a healthy dose of something she couldn't quite put her finger on. That wasn't to say she hadn't seen it before, actually, this used to happen between those two at least once every other month for the first few years Soul had stayed with them. But that was before the attack, before his brother's death and Soul became the last and only option to continue the lineage. In a way, it would be sweet if the situation didn't seem so dire now.

So when there was a knock at the door as Marie combed her hair for bed, she was sure that she was about to be in the way, and while she hated being the impromptu chaperone, she never minded being a fly on the wall. But instead of that still slightly awkward barely more than a boy with a white mop of hair and a sweet smile, Maka opened the door to a servant holding a tray. Again, she expected maybe it was a note or a trinket, but when Maka picked up the vial instead, Marie felt a chill run down her spine.

Maka excused the servant and walked over to Marie, giving her the medicine. "Do you think you could have this sent safely to Stein?"

Marie looked between the liquid and her charge for a moment before letting the accusatory tone saturate her voice, "What happened?"

She pursed her lips before sighing. "I read Soul."

"Maka," Marie chided.

Maka found her free hand waving, pleading her case in the face of Marie's annoyance. "But he's sick with some kind of curse or something, Marie, and then it turns out the physician who's meant to cure him is a _witch_."

"Maka!" Marie repeated in frustration. "We said we weren't going to do this until _after_ the decision. You're putting yourself in harm's way before you even have solid ground to stand on. Remember, being the Queen would give you the power to make the changes, but if you _die_ before that or are run-out by a witch who has social power in this family-"

"I didn't let on for a second that I knew," Maka urged back. "She probably thinks I'm just another ditzy courtesan. But Soul's life-"

"Oh, Maka," Marie moaned for the third time. "I know you care about him but we need to be very careful. Nothing is guaranteed."

"I," Maka croaked as she felt the heat come to her face. "Marie, it wasn't about that. I couldn't very well let him _die_ before he made his choice."

"That witch hasn't killed him yet and it's been five years. She's obviously planning something more long-term and you sticking your nose in already…" Marie threw her hands up in exasperation before using the movement as an excuse to grab the vial from her. "But fine, I will send this to Stein. And when, _if_ we all end up going home together he can take over yelling at you because I'm obviously no good at it."

"Thank you, Marie," Maka murmured.

"Now, go, isn't it past the time you usually meet him?" Marie raised her eyebrows.

"I don't, I haven't-" Maka started helplessly until Marie's grin made it fizzle. "I don't think I'm going tonight."

"You two did have the usual ' _we had an awkward moment'_ faces on today." Marie patted the lounge next to her and Maka hesitantly acquiesced but refused to look at anything other than her hands in her lap. "Maka, please tell me the two of you haven't slept together."

"No!" Maka blanched as her wide eyes turned to Marie. "It hasn't been _that_ , we just talk and with me behind a curtain, even. Only talking until, well, I had to tell him today not to drink any more of those terrible potions and he… he grabbed me. We haven't been that close since…" Maka let that go with a withering sigh.

"Oh, thank goodness," Marie let out the breath she'd been holding. "But I don't like the idea that he _grabbed_ you."

"He was just scared, confused," Maka murmured as her eyes went back to her fingers worrying in the fabric of her dress. "He was asking questions about how I knew all of this and… he wants to know what happened between us."

"Oh," Marie paused as her teeth nibbled into her lip. "Maybe you should tell him."

Maka groaned as she dropped her head into her hands. Her voice was small, not just because of her palms obscuring her mouth but the strength lost dredging up these things from so long ago. "All I know is how I felt and even then… I was a child. I thought I knew everything about the world but we both know I didn't. The way we were those years together, that's all… maybe I just dreamed it all. Maybe what I thought we had was just some sad make-believe a lonely girl put together so when I tell him that, I'll be lying to him. And the last thing I should be doing is lying to him."

Marie sighed softly, "If you tell him that he loved you, then you are putting yourself in a very good position. He's already shown favoritism towards you, and playing up a past that may or may not have been that true would only help. But…" She grabbed one of the hands away from Maka's face, "I wouldn't be able to do that and I know you can't either. But not seeing him tonight means you're running from a problem, and that's most certainly something that I know you can't do."

* * *

Soul waited without playing, his fingers creasing into his pant legs as he slowly smoothed them over and over. Everything was discombobulated, the contest, Maka's recent revelation, and most of all, his feelings. Every snippet of memory spoke to him of knowing her, of being just as close with her as he was with Black Star, of having a level of attention for her that he hadn't had for anyone else before. The things that came back were a strange mishmash of information, from her hairstyles to the tea she liked best to the flowers she used to pick on the walk from the village to the castle. Why did he know all these little, inconsequential things if each moment with her wasn't somehow epically important to him? And if they were, did that mean that he must have loved her?

That brought fire to his cheeks and he sunk his head in his hands. _How pathetic can I be? Not remembering the girl I loved, or if I loved her? And now she's here, working to be my Queen and I've forgotten her. That must have hurt her, killed her! Unless what I felt wasn't the same as what she did and this is just some awful coincidence._ Air barely warbled from his throat with a weak groan.

"Soul?"

He practically jumped out of his skin as he raised his head to see her just peeking from the curtain.

"Please, just, stay there, alright?"

A sigh was all he could manage in reply and suddenly the burn hit his eyes and he feared he'd lose the battle with it, so he turned his back to her and tried to focus on the workings of the organ.

"I know you're upset," she murmured and he heard one more step but then no more movement. "I… this has been hard for me, seeing you again especially when you don't know what happened."

A bitter scoff left his throat, "I'm _trying_."

"I'm not saying you're not," she let her temper match his for a moment before softening her voice again. "But answering your question, what happened between us, is impossible because I only know my own feelings. You… you were hurt and went away before you had a chance to say anything to me."

"My scar?" he tapped his chest.

"Yes." This pause was so long he had to turn to her, seeing her clearing the tears from her cheeks as she took slow, steady breaths. "I know Black Star was your first friend, but you and I were best friends during the time you were at Marie's. You came to study under Stein, the captain of her guard because he's a very decorated warrior and both you and Black Star wanted to be the best. At the time, I was studying under Stein since both he and Marie were taking care of me as a favor to my father."

"You fight?" Soul raised his eyebrows.

"Very well," Maka managed a laugh. "My father was a famous soldier and my mother was a witch hunter. I inherited her talents, the soul perception and the… I don't really know what to call it. Just, I can hurt witches and I can help heal what they've done to people and I was trying to get stronger because, well, as most of the world knows witches still exist. But I'm getting sidetracked," she sighed. "For four years, you, me, and Black Star lived with Marie and spent most of our time together. And each year, you and I would have the same fight, the one you remembered. You are a prince and I am _just a girl_ , but really, in my head, what I wanted to say was I am _nothing_."

Soul tried to open his mouth but she squashed it with a dismissive wave of her hand. "That was because I… I have always lost the things that matter most to me. My mother, my father, and when you became a steady part of my life the fear started about you and being so young, so childish, I just picked fights with you. We bickered. We called each other names. That last year was the worst because…" Make let out a tear-stained laugh, "Because I started to think of you, wish for you to be more than just my best friend. I dreamed about… things that were very obviously _not_ reality."

Maka let another derisive laugh leave her lips, "But what you felt, what you thought, I don't know. And it's the cruelest joke that as soon as I have the chance to ask you, there's no way you can tell me. You don't know, not anything, and that's… so much more painful than I could ever imagine. That's why I tried to avoid answering your question. I'm sorry."

"Don't," he murmured. "That's not… being sorry about that isn't right." He stared at her, a new throb starting in his chest as he watched her clear more tears from her cheeks. "It's not fair but… can I ask how you feel now? I know it hasn't been the same, but…"

Her eyes bought her time and breath as she let them wander everywhere but to him. "I feel the ghost of those feelings, but again, I… there is no guarantee I will be the one you choose and guarding myself, my heart has been one of my objectives."

"One of?"

Maka sighed, "I'm here to become Queen so I can make a difference. This world needs you to wake up, to see it for what it really is. You have soldiers here that have spent their life training but all you do is have them wander the grounds bored or police villages for taxes and minor infractions. Your parents think that the Witches are all gone but it's a lie, just something they tell themselves to feel like they've overcome what happened to your brother."

"That's enough," Soul barked. "I don't want to-"

"But you have to," Maka spat back at him. "The old Soul knew, he stood up for things, he protected people."

"And the old Soul paid the price," he growled back as he pressed a hand into his chest.

Maka shook her head, "That doesn't mean he's dead. I see him sometimes, in the things you do and say, but you have to make the choice. When you pick your future Queen, are you picking someone just to bear your children, or do you want this world to change?"

Soul let out a long breath as he hung his head. "You are… I don't know, Maka. I don't think I have a word that describes you."

"I could give you a few." She let a small laugh trickle from her mouth before letting an inhale flutter back. "I think Black Star would use bossy, impossible… You used to mostly call me stubborn."

He let out a weak laugh as he brought his eyes back to her. "I wish I could tell you."

"I know you do," Maka nodded softly. "And maybe someday, you'll be able to. Because no matter what the end of the week brings, Soul, I am going to help you fight this. I won't let you suffer, Queen or not."

"I appreciate that," he murmured as he got to his feet. There was no thought in his mind, just once again his heart urging the steps forward. He expected her to retreat but Maka stood still, not frozen or clenched but waiting for him. As he took her hand the haze was there waiting for him.

_They were underneath a willow tree, lying on their backs and watching the sun poked tiny holes in the canopy. He was sore, feeling beaten down by training and he was sure she was feeling the same way, but the real ache, the real torture was the one he was feeling as his fingers crawled slowly across the grass, daring to come close to her hand. He had expected her to pull away, to hiss something at him, but when their fingers touched there wasn't hesitation, just connection._

_Soul's head had turned to look at her in surprise, but she was still staring up as if nothing about that moment was different. Maybe that fed into his bravery but as he looked at her face he saw the smudge of dirt on her cheek and with daring fingers brought his other hand there to work off the dirty gently with his thumb. It wasn't the first time he'd seen her blush but it was the first time he had no excuse that it could be something other than him. His chest swelled with that feeling again._

_As he pulled his hand away she let the words barely eke from her lips, "Don't leave me."_


	5. Chapter 5

The idea that a woman's ability on the back of a horse should dictate whether or not she could be Queen again seemed absurd, but here Soul was, leaning in his throne on the stage at the tournament ring, watching as number six cantered about with a smile. Black Star had whispered some crude joke about riding but that of course wasn't where his mind was at, instead continuing to run through the memories he'd earned back through Maka's touch, finding them less blurred with each examination. He couldn't decide what was more exhilarating, that his mind seemed to have the ability to come back to him or that the way that came about was from being able to hold her hand.

He was instantly distracted by the movement on the stairs to the dais, his eyes falling on Medusa as she ascended. Maka's warning blared in his head and Soul forced on a smile. "Hello, Medusa."

"Hello, my prince." She bowed deeply and when her face came back up she was stretching out a smile. "I have your elixir for today."

"You can leave it there," Soul motioned towards the table in front of Black Star.

There was a moment's hint of surprise on her face before she squashed it. "My prince, taking it right away would be beneficial."

"Oh, of course. Just usually unsettles my stomach, so," he shrugged before looking back at Black Star. "Hey, get me something to eat, will you?"

Black Star made a good show of mumbling under his breath, earning his face the attention as he moved. While this had only been discussed in theory, Soul should never have doubted his friend's ability at sleight-of-hand since as soon as Black Star was squeezing past the table he was switching one vial for the other.

Soul picked up the new one off the table before unscrewing the top. "Cheers," he motioned it towards Medusa who gave a laugh that was more toleration than amusement before he tossed the liquid back. He made the usual face since most of these concoctions were bitter and screwed the cap back on before handing it back to Medusa. "Thank you."

Medusa nodded sharply, "Please, let me know if you experience any changes."

Soul replied by sending his gaze back to the field, his mind already starting to roll over in fear. _I have to trust Maka. I have to, even if I'm scared that…_ He cut off the thought as he drove his knuckles into his thigh. Black Star was quick to return, a few slices of bread on a plate. "I should shove this in your face," he whispered as he leaned in close. "Dropped off the vial with Marie."

"Thank you." For show, Soul shoved a piece of bread in his mouth, sure that Medusa was probably somehow watching. He'd have to remember to play up the ache as the festivities continued.

Number seven through twelve continued with nothing all that spectacular. Soul should have expected that the whispers would start as soon as thirteen came out. There was a resounding gasp as Maka entered on horseback. There wasn't actually any inappropriate skin to be seen but she was most certainly dressed like a man, a breezy white shirt kept in place with a leather jerkin and simple pants with knee-high boots. Her hair was spun in a bun high on her head. None of it was at all his concern, just the knowing smile that she wore.

There was no walk, no trot, no easy start because the instant the trumpet sounded Maka was urging her horse in a gallop. Her eyes were focused again, tendrils of hair feathering around the side of her head as the wind rushed past her. No look was afforded Soul's way or anyone else's, and the joy on her face was all her own. As she rushed through the curve and started on the other straightaway, Soul saw the bow on her back. Maka was quickly up in the saddle, slinging the bow to her front and pulling it back with the ease of being on solid ground. He didn't even catch her nocking the arrow let alone letting it loose, hitting a leftover target from games of days past.

 _Showoff_ , he kept bit on his tongue but couldn't stop the laugh that accompanied it. When she hit the next curve it wasn't a laugh that left his lips but a sigh, the way her face had blossomed into a devastatingly beautiful smile. _She's happy, maybe for the first time since she got here and I… I'm dying for that smile again, but at me, with me. That's what it is, isn't it?_

"Insolent girl," the Queen spat, bringing Soul back from his thoughts.

"No, mother," Soul corrected quickly with another laugh. "She's not just a girl."

* * *

After dinner, Black Star dragged Soul up to the parapet walk and sat on the edge with an arrow loop between them. He'd snuck into the kitchen earlier, fighting off the girls to fill his water skin to the brim with the best wine he knew he could steal without getting whipped. The first half-hour was filled with silence, just the two of them passing the skin back and forth while they watched the stars come out one by one. "How's the memory?" Black Star finally broke the silence before throwing back another swig.

"Coming back," Soul let a hopeful smile cross his face. "Not all, but… slowly, and thankfully they stay. I haven't had to write anything down since it started."

"Good," Black Star nodded as he handed the skin to Soul. "You… remembering stuff about being at Marie's?"

Soul let the wine clear the tightness in his throat. "Again, some. And what I do remember… be honest with me, I loved her, didn't I? Every single memory that I get doesn't make sense unless I loved her just as much as she loved me."

Black Star motioned for the wine back and took a long draft, clearing his throat after. "She told you she loved you?"

"Answer my question first," Soul snapped.

"I will, just tell me, she said that?"

Soul sighed, "She said that we were best friends and that the last year she daydreamed of more."

Black Star snorted a laugh, "She couldn't just come out and say it, could she? She's fucking impossible."

"She said you'd call her that," Soul grinned before grabbing the wine back. "And she also said that she couldn't say how I felt, that I never said anything."

"Well, you were working towards it," Black Star shrugged.

"So I did?" Soul jumped, tottering a little in the sill before he righted himself.

"Promise not to hit me? Remember, we've been drinking and a fall from this height-"

"What did you do?" Soul grumbled as he slipped back onto the solid ground of the parapet.

Black Star just thumped to the ground on his back, blowing a little air from his lungs as he started to fish in his pocket. "Remember, I thought you were dying. My best friend. The only person I've ever trusted and would trust with my life."

"Stop buttering me up!" Soul crawled closer, pressing his back to the arrow slot as he leaned over Black Star.

"You had something made for her, right before you got hurt." Black Star took the box out of his pocket. It was wooden, hand-carved with exquisite images of flowers that he held out for Soul to take. "You were pissed because you were actually going to give it to her that day we were all in the woods. Why you thought you could be romantic with Marie, Stein, and me snooping around I don't know but you almost chickened out because you thought everything hinged on that. But when we left town, you told me you were going to do it anyway."

"Do what?" Soul asked breathlessly as he stared at the box.

"Have your first kiss, dummy," Black Star said with a laugh.

He was dumbfounded, eyes darting from Black Star to the gift. "Did I?"

"Hell if I know," Black Star chuckled again. "All I know is the plan was that I kept Marie and Stein's attention long enough for you to get her alone in the glen but after you disappeared, well, that's when we all heard Maka screaming and…"

"That's when?" Soul offered the question that didn't need an answer. Instead, he sighed, "Why didn't you give this to me before? Or to her after it happened, she must have…"

"Again, kind of thought you were dying and… the day after, when you woke up, one of the first things I told you was that Maka was alright and you looked at me like I had eight heads. You said her name again, said it was familiar, but then everything else on her was a blank." Black Star crossed his arms over his chest, a frown starting to pull at his lips. "And we all swore when you and I left that we weren't going to talk about this. Marie and Stein were in enough danger as it was just for housing you and Maka was just a commoner. To even insinuate that she had a relationship with you? That could have been trouble for her, too."

Black Star shook his head, "And I'm a God with women, I know what they get like when they think they've gotten a token of your love. I couldn't imagine giving that to Maka just in time for you to actually leave her, probably forever." He pointed towards the box. "But you could give it to her now."

"I-" Soul snapped his mouth shut, staring desperately at the box. "Is it fair? I still don't remember that day and my feelings back then…"

Black Star raised his eyebrows. "You got feelings now?"

"Now?" Soul blinked at him. "Well…"

Black Star stuck out his fist before producing a finger, "She's the first girl you've held hands with."

Soul scoffed, "No-"

"Liar," Black Star threw up another finger, "Every time she's doing one of these stupid contests you're all eyes on her."

"That's because I'm trying to figure out-"

Another finger and another interruption, "And she's been killing it in those contests. Whether it was the book or the sword she has it." Black Star catapulted up to sitting, laying the empty wine between them. "And I think you're missing the forest through the trees here. It'd be nice to remember what it felt like to be fifteen and in love with a girl but you're twenty, you're about to choose your bride, and, all emotions aside, Maka's the best choice for _you_ , for the kingdom, not one of those idiot courtesans who will most likely bore you to death. So maybe wooing her now, putting a little effort into feelings as they are at this minute is a better plan."

"I have to… I've got to go." Soul stumbled to his feet, the wine still vigorously coursing through his veins as he rushed off into the darkness.

"He's drunk," Black Star laughed. "Oh, fuck is Maka going to kill me for this."

* * *

Maka was worried when no music greeted her on the way down the stairs. It was only worse when she peeked from the edge of the curtain and found the room empty of Soul, not sitting, standing, or pacing. It didn't abate as she saw the box sitting on the bench though an added curiosity struck her and moved her feet forward. On the box was an assortment of flowers, forget-me-nots, clove, gorse. These were hardly plants that often went together and none of them particularly moving to look at, never an artist's first choice. Where the box had been sat a note.

It was scribbled hastily and her first instinct was to make fun of how his penmanship had actually deteriorated, but she was compelled instead to sit on the bench with a sweet sigh as she looked over the page.

_Maka,_

_This was something the old Soul had wanted to give to you. I wish I could say that when I looked at it, I got the message loud and clear but this is another one of those secrets between you and him that I hope someday I'll get to know. At the same time, I was hoping you'd accept this from me too. I know I don't deserve to take the credit, but I'm going to ask you to wear this tomorrow at the ball. Maybe I'm wishing that when you think of me, you're thinking about the future, not just the past._

_Soul_

Her hands moved to the box, popping up the lid. All the air in her lungs disappeared as her eyes started to burn. With the haziness of the tears, the memory came back to her.

" _Roses," Soul answered confidently._

" _Well, if Stein wants to be boring," Maka rolled her eyes. "Plus, it's cliche. Marie deserves better than cliche."_

" _Alright, know-it-all, what's better?"_

_Maka tapped a finger thoughtfully to her chin. "Arbutus means 'you're the only one that I love.'"_

" _Isn't that a tree?"_

" _Red carnations mean deep, romantic love."_

" _Carnations are just as boring as roses," Soul corrected._

" _True… I guess that knocks out red chrysanthemums too." Maka blew her bangs up with a huff of air. "Clove is undying love."_

" _Smells funny."_

" _Gorse is 'love in all seasons.'"_

" _Another tree."_

" _Forget-me-nots!" Maka burst excitedly. "That's what we'll get for Stein to give to her. Forget-me-nots."_

" _I guess." Soul kicked aimlessly at the dirt as they continued down the path. "You think flowers work anyway? They just die."_

" _Well, you can always dry them, keep them in a book," Maka shrugged._

" _Maybe," Soul grumbled. "But if you're trying to prove your love lasts forever then why give something that dies?"_

_Maka turned her head and blinked at him incredulously. "Since when do you care? It's not like you're chasing after any girls."_

" _Oh, yeah, like you're one to talk," Soul spat back. "Not a man in sight, just memorizing flowers like a true bookworm."_

" _Shut up," she flicked her hair as she swiftly turned her head away from him. "I'll have you know that Hero, the blacksmith's apprentice has been asking after me." Oh, how she'd begged that he was jealous but she couldn't bear to look at his face._

" _That idiot?" Soul laughed. "He hits his thumbs more than he hits the anvil."_

" _Still," she answered haughtily._

_He huffed in reply and they walked in silence. As they reached the cusp of town, just before they'd be swallowed whole by the crowd Soul took a few quick steps to catch up to her side. "Which one do you like the best?"_

_Maka was caught off guard by the question and more so by the lack of teasing. "Out of the flowers?"_

" _Yeah," came back softly._

" _Oh, well…" She slowed, giving her time to think before they were lost in the bustle. For some reason he moved in front of her, staring her down as if this was a dire answer. "Honeysuckle."_

_He let out a sharp laugh, "Seriously? It's practically a weed."_

" _It's still pretty," Maka argued. "And… well, it's…"_

" _What?" he pressed._

" _It means devoted affection, love bonds that never end." The wistful sigh couldn't be contained behind her lips and she was afraid he'd tease again but he was waiting instead in silence, red eyes blinking calmly at her. "So if the flowers die, at least the message means the love won't."_

_He turned, his eyes working over the crowd before he grabbed her hand. "Come on, hold my hand so we don't get separated."_

_There had been no chance of that._

She let her fingertips follow the intricate filigree, the impossibly delicate metalworking that shaped the honeysuckle flower. The gems shone yellow and white with carved jade to make the leaves. Dangling like the berries from the vine were black pearls to add depth. She pulled it out of the box, turning it in her hands to realize it was a hairpin. There was no possible way this had been at the market, honeysuckle again not an artist's favorite image. It had to be ordered, made just for her after that day when they got flowers for Stein to give to Marie. That whole time he'd been thinking of what flowers to get her, and now that eternal love and devotion was in her hands.


	6. Chapter 6

It was utter torture because even though Soul could see Maka at the table, see the ornament in her hair that meant not only did she read the note but maybe she even accepted it, he had absolutely no opportunity to rush to her side. Everything in him was begging for a soft whisper from her of some kind of acknowledgment but he'd have to wait for at least twelve dances before he could even get close enough.

Dancing was an art that supposedly screamed of regality, but it was a pastime that Soul barely had a handle on. He was positive that he was the one ill-equipped for this test and he spent most of the night agonizing over not stepping on toes. There were a few unfortunate failures in that regard, even worse that not one of the girls even managed to squeak an admonishment at him for his lack of finesse. Instead, he was showered with praise and asinine questions or requests.

None of it mattered as Maka moved forward, her gloved hand outstretched to him. "Still wearing them?" he murmured as he brought her close.

"Medusa's watching very intently," Maka faked a smile for that, an air-headed line looking alien on her lips but at least giving the illusion of easy conversation. "I gave her some half-baked excuse about propriety and now I'm stuck with it. Will you let me lead?"

"Worried about your toes?" he grinned.

"I watched you with the other girls, so yes." Her stubbornness won, stealing the dance from him even though he knew he was happy to lose it. "You've missed two doses so far. How do you feel?"

Soul's attention was split, trying to trail the words on her lips but also being completely entranced by the pin in her hair. It looked even more beautiful tucked in her tresses and he was overwhelmed with wanting to know the secret of it. "Not bad. I slept better last night, but that could have been the wine."

Her eyebrows jutted for just a moment before she plastered the smile back on. "You were drunk?"

Soul's laugh was awkward and sharp, "Liquid courage. I should have known Black Star was up to something when he brought wine."

"Courage?"

"The letter and…" he murmured as he refused the urge to move her hair. All he could manage was clearing his throat, "I hope it's alright."

"It's…" he watched her lip tremble before she forced it back to that thin smile that he wished was closer to the one on the fairgrounds. "It's lovely. Thank you."

"Still not sure I should take the credit," he sighed. But he would take the blush on her cheeks, especially as his eyes went back to lingering on the ornament, desperately urging his mind forward.

"Do you often get drunk?" For once, her eyes were elsewhere, trailing the room as she spun them.

"Sometimes, and only with Black Star. I don't make a habit of it, if that's what you're worried about."

"I'm not worried," came back snappishly.

He squeezed her hand in his, fingers toying with the leather with his eyes still locked on the sparkling gems in her hair. Suddenly the noise seemed to drown out behind him, slipping away and rushing back as something completely different. It wasn't the ballroom but the market and he was nervous. Her hand was in his and he knew he'd asked for it and in his mind, the idea kept repeating. "A love bond that never ends," he murmured to her.

Her eyes shot open and her smile disappeared.

"That's what honeysuckle is," his voice was still hazy and he had to snap his eyes open and closed a few times before everything fell back into place and he was really with her again. "It's your favorite. I asked you, and you told me, and by the end of the day I'd made a deal with the jeweler. That's why I made you go home by yourself from the market. I probably shouldn't have done that, it was dangerous, but I wanted to surprise you."

"Did you… did you remember that on your own?"

"Yeah," he grinned. "Just stared at it long enough and… Maka, don't cry, please." It was scrambling horror as he saw her eyes fill to the brim.

"I'm fine," she squeaked as she tried to force air and sense back to her head. "I'm happy that you… that you're starting to remember on your own. That's wonderful." Another shaking breath accompanied that as her hand flexed in his.

"It could be missing the potions too." He was grasping at straws, trying to find some kind of encouragement to keep her from letting the tears loose.

The music saved her, the swell of the instruments slowly winding down. "It's over," she murmured sharply.

He watched her slip away from him and within a few minutes she was no longer even in the hall, giving him no more chances for memories.

* * *

Maka was dressing after what she had started to consider her habit of bathing in jasmine when there was a knock at the door. Black Star stuck his head in slowly, a slick smile on his face. "I have a letter for you, my lady."

"Oh, did you get him drunk again?" Maka hissed as she socked him in the shoulder. "He's ill."

"And wine cures all," Black Star chuckled as he rubbed dramatically at the point of impact. "And that's the only way he got the guts to give you the goods, so you should be singing my praises."

A line of pink hit her cheeks before she displayed her palm to him. "Can I have my letter?"

"Can't wait until the two of you are married so I can stop playing errand boy," Black Star muttered as he tossed the paper into her palm.

The pink turned red. "He hasn't made his decision yet."

"Sure, sure," Black Star rolled his eyes. "Is there anything else, _your majesty_ , or am I free to go?"

"Get out," Maka made an attempt at sounding annoyed but her order was mostly breathless.

"See ya, _my Queen_ ," he added with one last hearty laugh before sneaking out the door to barely avoid another fist.

She flipped the paper between her fingers, not even daring to touch the seal because the contents felt more dangerous to her than anything she'd ever faced. _He remembered today, on his own, just by concentrating hard enough. It's probably the potions that were keeping those things from him and now if he keeps avoiding them I could have my answer. This, right now, could be my answer._ That made her blood thunder in her ears and she scrambled to a seat to collapse, letting her head hit the cushioning and her eyes squeeze shut against the idea of letting any more tears loose.

 _You are Maka Albarn. You are strong. You've killed witches, you've protected your village, you've helped countless people._ She choked on the air as she tried to fill her lungs. _You're heartbroken. You're scared._ The words snuck in like thieves, stealing away any comfort from the last.

Before she thumbed the seal she reached over to the table, grabbed the hairpin and held it like a talisman.

_Maka,_

_I won't be on the bench tonight. I'm not avoiding you, I just don't have much to think about right now. I guess remembering things should be frightening but the only thing that bothered me today was that it could hurt you. I hope you know that's the last thing I want._

_Tomorrow, the only test is supposed to be me meeting with each girl. I don't think I've gotten why any of these stupid trials matter and wasting six hours of my time sounds like hell. I just need you to know that I'll be coming to visit you last and it will take a fucking annoying amount of time to get to you but I hope you'll wait._

_Soul_

* * *

Soul was dreaming, enthralled by the idea that it wasn't the same repetitive nightmare that always echoed in his mind but the sweetest reprieve. His room was filled with the smell of jasmine and Maka was there, her face leaning over his with a soft smile. Maybe he wished it was that glowing, brilliant one from before but beggars couldn't be choosers and he mirrored it back at her easily. When she laid her hand on his bare chest a bright trickle of nerves fluttered from her fingers down into his stomach. A hazy warmth drifted the other way, filling his head with that white light again.

" _Why are you crying?"_

_He watched her jump and in a hurry, she was clearing her face. "I'm not. I told you to leave me alone."_

" _Maka," he grumbled as he sat down next to her, almost laughing as she scooted to add distance between them._

" _Why can't you just listen?" she spat at him._

" _Why are you crying?" he urged again as he slid closer._

" _See? Do you not have ears? I told you to leave me alone!"_

" _Maka-"_

" _Soul," she bellowed back as another wave of liquid rolled over her cheeks. "You can't help, so I don't know why-"_

_Against all of his better judgment, he grabbed her, arms wrapping tightly around her shoulders to pull her to his chest. She gasped but didn't fight as he expected, just settled as her hands only delicately pinched at the fabric of his shirt at his sides. "Why are you crying?"_ _There was more than enough time to count the seconds it took her before she spoke again, but he was too busy happily counting breaths as they trickled across his neck. Oh, that feeling was better than any other he'd had before, and even with her sorrow, he let himself be fleetingly overwhelmed with joy._

" _They still haven't found my mother." She was swallowing back more tears and he tightened his hold on her, finding even less resistance than before._

" _I'm sorry," he murmured._

" _I should have stopped hoping." Her fingers started to move, her arms finally wrapping around him and bringing a new heat crawling up his spine. "She's been gone for so many years. I'm stupid, so stupid…"_

" _No," he answered back quickly. "Don't give up. That's one of the best things about you, you never give up, and that's definitely not something that's stupid. It's… amazing, alright? So stop."_

_A warbled sigh came hotly from her lips to his neck. "Thank you."_

Soul clasped his hand over top of hers, "You're here. It's not a dream."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "This is definitely improper."

"You snuck into my room." A grin pulled at his lips as a delirious laugh trickled from his throat.

"You're surprisingly not well guarded," Maka laughed softly. "And I'm almost sure you couldn't be woken from sleep even in the middle of a battle."

Soul chuckled, "It's because I was actually sleeping. I thought… well, I thought I was dreaming about you. Not necessarily something I wanted to wake up from."

"Oh," Maka tore her eyes from him, and in the moonlight, he could see a soft pink coming to her cheeks.

He tightened his fingers over hers, "Did you need something?"

"I wanted to make sure you were comfortable," she answered quickly. "That's why I touched you, I just wanted to give you some relief since tomorrow does sound like it will be trying for you. I know you hate talking to begin with and all those strangers…"

"Thank you," he murmured. Maka tried to pull her hand away but he refused her. The fight wasn't long or intense and when it was done he was gently running his thumb over her knuckles. "I'm sorry if I pissed you off today."

A trembling laugh left her lips before she shook her head. "It wasn't you."

"Then why were you crying?"

"I wasn't crying." This time it wasn't a snapping yell but a weak whisper, her finger tapping at his chest.

"Fine," he sighed. "Why were you _almost_ crying?"

That soft smile came back to her lips before it died quickly, her eyes still blinking out into the darkness. "That gift was…" a sigh left her lips that bordered on a whimper. "Maybe I'm just not as good as I thought I was at guarding my heart."

His swift movement did disturb her and he was sure that she was going to topple off the bed but his hands got to her first, gripping into her sleeves to keep her from getting away. How easily that moment slipped back into the memory exhilarated him. It was a soft gasp from her mouth but no fighting and it lit his skin on fire. He wondered what the old him would have thought of Maka's cheek pressed against skin instead of shirt or her hands having nowhere to go but his bare back. "Then don't."

"Soul, tomorrow-"

"I told you to just wait for me." It was an order and it brought only silence between them. He held her for a few more minutes before he allowed her to slip away, Maka quickly getting to her feet and moving towards the window. He followed after her, suddenly afraid especially as she sat on the sill. "Hey-"

"This is the way I came," she whispered quickly. "There's enough hand and footholds. Don't worry."

 _As if that ever gets rid of anyone's worry._ "I'm sure I can sneak you out of the door."

"No." She slipped off the edge before he could object again, his fingers grasping at nothing but air.

His breath caught in his throat and he rushed to look over the edge, just seeing her blond head bobbing as she navigated the wall. He watched her to the ground, his breath catching with every few holds even though she showed no signs of trouble. As she dropped to the ground, her eyes trailed back up to him. He didn't know what he hated more, the fact that she wasn't smiling, that her cheeks were tear-stained, or that she was no longer in his arms.

* * *

Maka was glad to have Marie, have the soft, soothing hands in hers as they waited together. Marie's touch was like her own but different at the same time, always having the ability to dull any pain like chewing on willow bark. She had always assumed that was why Stein loved her since he always craved that stark difference from the life he led. "It's late," Maka murmured.

"Those girls are probably talking his ear off," Marie smiled as she rubbed her thumb over Maka's knuckles again. "Last desperate pleas, you know?"

"Is that what I should do?" Maka wondered out loud.

"I would let him talk. I doubt he's gotten much of that today," Marie sighed as she looked towards the door. "I do wish he'd hurry up though."

"Me, too," she sighed.

It came to the two of them staring at the door, willing his presence for the last few minutes. Even with the expectation, when the knock came both of them jumped, Marie letting out a soft laugh as she opened the door. "Hello, my prince."

"Hello, Lady Marie," Soul bowed, catching her off guard. As he moved into the room, he kept his eyes on her. "I hope you'll forgive me. I… it's taken me time to come back to myself and I feel like my original greeting to you wasn't fitting. The time I spent with you and Stein was the best in my life and I should have treated you with the honor that comes with. I'm sorry."

"Oh," Marie blinked at him. "I'm just happy that you're feeling more yourself, my prince."

"If you don't mind, in this company I'd prefer that you call me by my name."

Marie let out a short laugh, "Of course, Soul."

"Thank you, Marie." He nodded towards her before motioning at the seat that Marie had vacated. "Do you mind?"

"Only if you promise to stop being so formal," Maka smiled.

"Yeah," he laughed sharply. "Sorry, it's been… a long fucking day."

"That's better." Maka extended a hand towards the chair and he sat, leaning forward with his hands on his knees. Marie took to the corner desk, trying to look busy.

Soul sighed, "I feel like there are some things you should know especially about my condition."

"Alright," Maka murmured, her brow crinkling in concern.

Marie interrupted, "Do you mind if I write this down, send the particulars to Stein? It might help him work towards something to fix this situation or at least control it."

"As long as you're sure it's not going to get out," Soul shrugged. "The kingdom right now has no idea about it and I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be good if it became common knowledge."

"Of course not," Marie shook her head swiftly. "I'll keep it with me, to be taken back when we return. No one will see it but he and me."

"Fine." Soul watched and waited for Marie to gather a pen and paper. "I think it's safe to say the memory problem was Medusa's bullshit with the potions. I know she treated me from the first minute so it would have been easy to slip me something then to start the process. But the rest of it… I've been calling it the black blood mostly because that's what it is. If I cut myself, it's not red anymore but black, oily, and for the most part any wound since then has closed up a lot quicker than you would expect, not that I've been putting myself in the position to _get_ wounded."

Soul turned his eyes to Maka, "When I do, I have to be careful. Getting too worked up… Black Star has had to knock me out a few times since I become, well, out of control. I know what's happening but I feel totally powerless. That demon just whispers and… I don't know."

Maka leaned back in the chair thoughtfully, her eyes wondering at the ceiling. "Have you ever tried talking to him?"

"No," Soul blinked. "I kinda thought a demon was a demon."

"Maybe that's your next step," Maka shrugged. "Once Medusa's poisons have left your system, maybe you'll be strong enough to temper it, maybe reason with it. It offers you power, right? You said something about fear, too."

"Enough power to end fear," Soul murmured. "But you think it's a good idea?"

"Well, I could be there to make sure you don't go over that deep end," Maka nodded as she continued to picture the scenario. "Like giving you a safe space to try especially since I can only seem to quiet it down rather than drive it away. I guess anything would be worth a shot."

"You'd try that with me?" He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Of course," Maka shook her head incredulously. "I told you, Queen or not I'm going to help you."

"Yeah," he looked at his hands as a sigh escaped his lips. "There's more."

"Alright," Maka echoed herself again.

"I, uh…" Soul sucked in a healthy amount of air before he turned his eyes to her again. "I'm terrible at dancing. I hate it, and I was glad you were leading, but I'd honestly prefer to never do it again."

"What?" Maka asked breathlessly.

Marie dropped her pen.

"And the way you ride," he laughed shortly. "You mind teaching me that? Because I'm not bad, but I'll be eating a mound of dirt as soon as I try to aim a bow from the saddle."

"I…" Maka started but stopped, her mouth gaping.

"And I'm going to drink with Black Star. I know you two are mostly on each other's last nerves but he's my best friend, and when he offers a skin of wine I'm most likely going to take it." Soul was grinning even in the face of her confusion. "Not to say I'll get drunk every night. He's already been mourning the idea of me becoming a married man so he's well aware my time's going to be spent differently."

"I don't understand," Maka whispered.

"And I guess the last one, maybe the most important, is just because the sun's up, I am most definitely not going to be. I'll stay in bed for most of the morning unless I'm bothered, usually by that asshole previously mentioned but if _you_ try to wake me it'll, uh," he dared a glance at Marie before he leaned closer to Maka to whisper the last part, "it'll be like last night. Sleep of the dead."

"Soul…" Maka almost balked as he took her hands in his but she had no power to move, none of her muscles giving in to any orders of her mind.

"I figured that those were the things that my wife would need to know," Soul shrugged. "Though, I guess plenty more will come up either during the betrothal or the first few weeks. I can't say that I'm that complicated, but who knows what else I'll remember even though you're kind of already aware of all of that, I guess. But the most important part is to ask you, really. I don't want to announce tomorrow that you're my princess, the future Queen without at least getting you to say yes."

Marie palmed a squeal which brought a jolly laugh from Soul's chest. Regardless of the other reactions, Maka was frozen, her body feeling a million miles away as her mind raced through the reality. _I won, but it's not even about winning, it's him. That smile is in his eyes and he knows me, or at least he's on his way to knowing me the way he used to. He's on the cusp of remembering it all and I could have my answers but have my sworn duty at the same time. I can help people, I can change this world and make it safe._

"Maka," Soul urged softly as he ran a finger over her knuckles.

The tender caress brought her eyes and her mind back. "You chose me?"

"Wasn't really that hard," Soul laughed, "but don't get mad that I said that. Not saying you're the best offer I got but… maybe I don't remember everything, I might never, I don't know, but when I look at you, when you and I are together, I feel something. I know that's not exactly what you wanted to hear or to know, but I can promise that you're not marrying a stranger. I'm, I hope, at least your friend and I'll help you whatever way I can since I know you have plans as Queen."

 _My friend_. The idea surged in her heart, bringing with it excitement and melancholy all rolled into one. "I'll be objected to," she murmured.

"Sure you will," Soul shook his head dismissively. "But let me handle that, OK? I think I've got enough old Soul in me to get the job done."

"I…" It wasn't the first time she ever found herself stammering in his presence or felt the pinpricks of heat in her eyes.

Soul cleared his throat, "If you don't want to give me an answer right now, I can… give you time. Meet you tonight in the music room if that's better, if that makes you… more comfortable."

Maka looked down at the fingers that were so dedicatedly trying to soothe her own before looking back into his eyes. He was floundering, obviously at a loss but at the same time offering all the relief he possibly could because… _He feels something with me. That's what he said. Maybe it's a something that could be…_ "I accept."

A dizzy little laugh came from his throat but he cleared his throat again to drive it away. "Great. Really great. I, uh, _fuck_ ," he murmured as he pulled one hand from hers, letting it run over his face. "Alright. I should… there are some things I should probably set up for tomorrow's idiocy. I'm hoping it'll be just the hemming and hawing kind of objections but I'll have some plans for the heads rolling alternative. Just, if things start going to hell, you go with Black Star, alright?"

"If I have to," Maka muttered.

Soul chuckled, "Maybe he'll grow on you."

"I doubt it, but… I trust you, Soul." Maka smiled softly as she pulled her other hand away and stood from her seat. Soul followed her and the two of them stood, eyes locked and hands antsy at their sides.

"I'll go for now," he murmured.

"Alright."

"I probably can't meet you again tonight."

"Alright."

"I'll send another letter if I can, but otherwise just… try to relax."

"Yes, you too."

Soul's feet shuffled. "I, uh, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes."

"If there's anything you need…"

"I know."

"And if, I don't know, you change your mind or…"

"I won't."

Air trembled from his lips, "Maka…"

"Soul…" she mimicked and the amused smile that was starting to grace her lips made matters worse. Maka continued to watch as he chewed over words on his tongue, as his hands fluttered at his side like they were ready for movement but always thought better of it. Behind him, Maka could see Marie stifling a laugh but also she was turning in her chair, taking a decided view of the wall that sent a clear message to Maka, enough to make her cheeks flare with color.

Waiting for Soul was something that Maka had felt she'd done her whole life. As children, waiting for him to figure out what he meant to her. Then forlornly waiting for his return or at least some acknowledgment that the life that they had was over, that there was no hope in dreaming anymore. Until today it had been waiting on his choice as well, another thing tangled in her desires. At that moment, as she took a step towards him, she was also taking a step towards not waiting for him. She circled her arms around his waist, letting her head plant on his chest like she had the night before.

He unwound with a long sigh, his hands gently caressing the span of her back, daring to tangle at the ends of her hair. There were no more stuttering words or jittery movement, just his touch that now spoke for him. _You're my princess, my Queen, my wife._ Though he only held her, that was enough, at least for now. For the rest, Maka would wait.


	7. Chapter 7

This was the first time that Soul was striding into the throne room without fear and anxiety tightly winding in his gut. He wasn't sure if he could necessarily claim that there were conviction and valor in its place, but it was something at least close to that. It would at least be behavior that he knew Maka would qualify as _old Soul_ actions and as he strode towards his parents he was hoping that there wouldn't be anything old about it anymore.

At this point it was just his mother and father along with a few counselors and the steward, all the rest of the court kept at bay because he knew this was the part where his mother was going to put her foot down. He wasn't even at the foot of the dais when she started. "You'll choose Clarissa."

Soul could hear Black Star stifle a laugh behind him and Soul had to bite his tongue to stop from copying him. Instead, Soul adopted a smirk that he was starting to remember as his own as he stood staring up at his mother. "No, I won't."

"There isn't a better candidate, not after all those events," the Queen started to reason as her hand came to tap her husband, trying to encourage more than just a nod from him.

"Then you and I watched different events, mother," Soul loved the even, true tenor of his voice. "Because Clarissa could barely recite anything before the fourth generation in your stupid heredity lesson and I while I'd love to just rehash each and every one of my useless observations from the other contests, I don't have to. I thought I made myself clear when I said _I_ was choosing my bride."

"Really, Soul, you have to see the sense-"

"I won't because there is no sense," Soul had to squash the rise in his voice, instead letting the tension in him break with a soft laugh. "And there is no discussion. I'm choosing my bride." He turned his head away from his mother, feeling her anger storm towards him though it only worked to strengthen his grin. "Steward, bring the girls and the court in."

"Absolutely _not_ ," the Queen snapped.

"Are you telling him to disregard a prince's order?" Soul raised an eyebrow but instead of approaching his mother walked towards the steward. "Who do you think you should listen to?"

"My prince," the man stammered.

"Soul, this is absolutely uncalled for. Your father-" the Queen started to wave her hand towards the King who had uncomfortably shot up in his chair, a grimace on his face.

"Is still King, yeah, sure, and his order _should_ trump mine but I think you've all forgotten something." Soul snapped his fingers and Black Star untucked the book from beneath his arm, opening to a page that Soul had read at least a dozen times. "You had me crowned as soon as Wes died, something I didn't want to actually pay attention to at the time. But did you know, a crowned prince, once betrothed becomes an equal shareholder with the King? I guess it's supposed to make sure power transfers but…"

He allowed the interruption from his mother, "But you are not betrothed."

"Actually, I am," Soul shrugged. "As of yesterday I had permission from the lady in question as well as her guardian and since that guardian holds the title of Lady she fulfills the requirements of ties to royalty to notarize the event." Each word out of his mouth was alien but his studying had paid off. "And don't worry, I had a second witness, the captain of my guard, who can attest to the process."

Black Star shot him a wink as Soul threw a glance over his shoulder. While that was technically a lie, Black Star had thankfully waited outside the door with his ear pressed to the wood, it's not as if his mother would ever know. "So, steward, please, bring in the girls and the court as your crowned prince ordered you since I have just as much power as your King." Soul brought a casual glance back to his mother, finding her fuming with her mouth agape. "I'm sorry that this upsets you, mother. But if you speak _once_ during my ceremony, I will be forced to further test the boundaries of my new power."

As the eerie silence continued, Soul motioned to Black Star who brought the book up to the King, dropping it in his lap as planned. "Grab the crown while you're up there." The amusement, the absolute freedom of the moment was surging through his veins.

Black Star took the order, grabbing the bejeweled tiara from the pompous cushion and trotting back down to the steps to Soul. "You're having too much fun ordering me around. Don't think I'm going to let that finger snapping go. I'm beating your ass later," Black Star whispered next to his ear as he eased the crown into Soul's hands.

"Look forward to it," Soul laughed as he let the crown spin once on his finger. "Thanks."

Black Star offered him a strange smile, one that Soul rarely saw on his friend's face, that strange mix of nostalgia and maybe a little pain. "Listening to you right now, that was…"

"I know," Soul nodded before he clasped a hand to Black Star's shoulder. "And get used to hearing it." As his hand slipped away the hall started to fill, lords and ladies and the rest of his father's various counsels first before one by one the ladies entered and dropped to their knees. Dresses flared and heads bowed but Soul's eyes were waiting on the door, his expression remaining cool but his heart starting to race underneath.

He just barely refused the smile as Marie entered first, his anticipation skyrocketing as he clutched at the circlet in his hand. Maka was draped in another purple gown and while he was able to resist smiling again the hopeless sigh did sneak from his lips. _I wonder if that's her favorite color because it's most definitely becoming mine to see her in. And that pin in her hair… fuck, she's wearing it again._ His gut trembled as he watched her fall to her knees like the rest but it was far from nervousness.

"Today, I choose my bride," he spoke to the room, letting his eyes skim the crowd. "I'm choosing not just for myself, but for this kingdom which means I'm not just picking some pretty face to birth me sons," a cluster of gasps popped in his ears and he could just envision his mother's reddening face, "since another prince will do no good for this place, just as I have. With this promise I give my future Queen today I made another one to the rest of you, that I am going to protect the people and give them what they deserve: a prince, a King who listens, who plans, who never turns a blind eye to suffering."

Soul let his feet move forward, each step bringing him achingly closer to Maka. As he reached her, he took his free hand and lifted her chin. "Stand up."

For the first time in their entire lives, Maka listened to an order from his lips with a smile.

He waited for her to be on her feet before he dropped to his knees, watching as her eyes popped open wide. Again, the gasps surrounded him but Soul used them to feed his smirk. "I'm not going to place this on your head and claim you as mine. I'm going to offer this crown to you because this King will be a partner with his Queen."

Just as he expected her voice came out strong, no weak whisper to get lost between them but a compliment to him and a show to the room. "Then stand, since we're equal, not one bowing to the other."

Soul shuffled quickly to his feet and held the tiara between them. "Take it, please."

"I will." Maka took it gently from his fingers and Soul held his breath as she sat it on her head.

"Prince Soul."

Soul turned with rage already starting to color his throat at the sound of his mother's voice. _I warned her. I said to keep her damn mouth shut and now-_ Some of the color drained away as he saw Medusa leaning over his mother's shoulder, sure that venomous whispers had already passed between the two of them.

"If your concern is this kingdom, then let me remind you that with this girl's absence of family history there is no proof that she can produce the heirs necessary to be the next queen." The Queen waved a deferential hand to Medusa.

"My prince, as I said in the review the best assumption is that this girl could _never_ produce a suitable heir."

"How dare you," Soul started but he felt the warm fingers tighten on his arm.

Maka pushed past him, the same smile on her face but a new fire in her eyes. "I'm sorry that is the assumption," her voice rang true without a hint of fear, "and I will allow that there are things that leave my history uncertain but let us think of the future. Here, in front of all of you, I pledge that I will conceive an heir within the first year or I will forfeit my life. I assume that comes as a tolerable compromise."

"What?" Soul let the word drop powerlessly from his took a moment to whisper to the Queen again and those words looked like a noxious cloud to Soul. He took a step closer to Maka, getting near enough to whisper in her ear. "What are you doing?"

"Making sure I am Queen," she murmured back. "I'm sure we'll discuss it later but for now, please, let _me_ stand up for us now."

He forced his jaws closed over a groan as he watched his mother's eyes shining. "What an excellent start to your rule to come to such an agreement. I look forward to the joyous day."

 _Which day? The one where she dies or gives birth?_ Soul wanted to spit but he forced a slow breath instead. "If there are no other objections, I would like to present my bride."

"No, of course, Prince Soul," his mother cooed.

The darkness in him stirred, feeding at the lapping rage and for a moment he was sure the voices would come back again but her hand, bare now of her gloves, touched his arm to once again send that soothing message of warmth. "I present to you all your future Queen, Princess Maka," he boomed quickly before turning his eyes to her, finding more solace in the soft blush that had risen on her cheeks.

Cheers and 'all hail' filled the room but his attention was only on that dangerous promise that seemed to come right at the end of a wonderful one.

* * *

It was a strange meeting table, Black Star and Soul on one side while Maka and Marie populated the other. Silence had prevailed for the first few minutes until Black Star leaned across the table towards Marie. "I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to Soul remembering what it's like to fight with Maka."

Marie laughed but Maka scoffed, "We're not going to fight."

"Like hell we aren't," Soul shot back.

Black Star started to cackle.

"My mother baits you and you take it? You offer your life like it's nothing?" Soul snapped as he punched a fist into Black Star in hopes of stopping his amusement. It did not achieve its goal.

"It is _nothing_ ," Maka laughed. "Really, I'm almost glad it happened. You and I learned a lot just from that moment."

"I learned that my wife could die in a year," Soul hissed back.

Not rolling her eyes was the most difficult of all feats so Maka forced herself to produce a long, low breath instead. "Soul, listen, please." He crossed his arms like a petulant child, making the urge grow strongly again. She forced another breath before she reached a hand across the table towards him. "Medusa is obviously aware that something is going on and she's certain I'm a part of it, hence her trying to get me out. She sees you and me together as being dangerous to whatever her plan is, so now we know both of us have to be careful since she is going to be more active."

"On top of that, apparently the Queen is not above siding with Medusa. I'm sure the Queen thinks she's using Medusa for _her_ schemes, but we can both assume it will be the other way around. So, unfortunately, your mother has become an extremely useful pawn." None of this was coaxing his hand across the table but Maka knew to be patient. _Sometimes he's just as stubborn as I am._ "But, realistically, you and I are healthy. It's not something you probably will ever remember but I was born right at the start of the Witch Wars and since both of my parents were fighting, they had very little time or motivation when they were home together to have another child after me. It wasn't a situation of being unable to. Not to mention, I promised one, so if that's all my mother was actually able to produce and that's somehow been passed on to me, then we're still safe."

"You should be happy," Black Star interjected with a mutter as he leaned into Soul. "Really that means Maka will have to spread her legs for you every chance she gets."

"Black Star," Marie moaned as Maka cheeks and neck turned something close to maroon.

"Idiot," Soul hissed as he punched him again, only eliciting more exuberant laughter.

"I did not plan to have to…" The words fluttered from her lips as the color refused to drain. "I did assume that there was a lot to get done before children were necessary but, well, it's not the end of the world."

Soul sighed deeply before he finally let his hand travel the distance to hers. "So I'm going to guess that Medusa is going to interfere somehow with that process."

"Yes," Maka let some of the nervousness drip away, her mind better suited to planning than any more bedroom talk. "Neither of us can accept potions now, which is going to make it doubly difficult unless we're going to outright refuse her, but that might lead her to act recklessly. I think it's in our best interest to try to play nice until we're officially married."

Soul sat back in the chair, letting his head crack against the wood as he still stretched to hold onto her hand. "The kitchen girls." He rolled his head to the side, eyeing Black Stars. "Which ones haven't you slept with?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Black Star scoffed.

Soul let a sharp laugh tumble from his throat. "We're going to need help and I don't think I trust girls that you've most definitely turned against you by sleeping with them."

"I always leave each and every one satisfied," Black Star spat. "But, if you have to know, Liz and her sister, Patty. They're too stuck up for me anyway. And Tsubaki, not to say I haven't _tried_ but she's a little too shy, prudish to let me get my way. And Kim, she's more interested in Queens than Kings, if you catch my drift."

"Four," Soul sighed. "Have them sent to Maka. Give some lame excuse that she's looking for more ladies in waiting or whatever."

"And I do what with them?" Maka blinked at him.

"Well, I'm fairly certain Kim's an amateur herbalist," Soul paused to search over the memories of those nights in the kitchen. "I say I appoint her as an apprentice to Medusa. Split Liz and Patty. One stays with you while the other stays in the kitchen. This way the two of them talking, secretly or otherwise, will never be suspicious. They're sisters, that's what they do. Tsubaki stays in the kitchen as well to give you two sets of eyes there. If Medusa thinks we're not willingly drinking, she'll make sure it happens one way or another. The next best place is our food." Suddenly, Maka's glowing smile was there, blinding and disorienting him even in all the seriousness. "What is it?"

Maka shook her head softly, "Nothing, you just… you sounded like yourself." She leaned closer, letting her other hand meet his so she could cradle it. "It's been so wonderful today to just get to see you like that."

"Plotting is more like me?" He smirked as he moved towards her as well, bringing his other hand in not just to make a pile but to caress gently from the top of her hand past her wrist.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, you're both making me sick," Black Star groaned. "Can you save the cute stuff for tonight in the music room? You know, when you're alone and the rest of us aren't forced to gag down your romance."

Marie cleared her throat, "About that. The two of you must really be more careful. No more secret meetings. No music room, no climbing walls."

Maka blushed as she stammered, "I wasn't."

"The grit on your dress spoke otherwise," Marie rolled her eyes. "Honestly, this betrothal has to be completely by the book. We've already had one thing come into question about Maka, we cannot have her honor be next. As far as I know, they still expect that bloody sheet on the wedding night, so Maka has to remain-"

"Marie," Maka hissed.

"It's embarrassing but it's the truth," Marie urged. "No time alone just to avoid temptation."

"I agree," Soul muttered as he pulled his hands away and pink started on his cheeks.

 _So quick of an agreement. Does that mean he's tempted?_ Her mind instantly spat back, _Are you really that foolish? You think he looks at you and sees a fifteen-year-old girl? And even then, you know you saw a few heated glares. A few touches that maybe weren't entirely innocent. And now it's just like Black Star said, he'll be your husband, he'll have the right to and you'll both need to if you're going to survive._

"Don't look at me that way," Marie nudged her. "Normal betrothals last three days. One for you, one for him, and then you're binding ceremony."

"Then the wedding night," Black Star cooed and the two of them erupted into shoving.

Soul could do nothing but hiss back at him, his face turning red, "I'm getting that damn assassin."


	8. Chapter 8

Maka glanced between Soul and what they had the nerve to call a carriage. It wasn't drawn by horses, instead expecting men to carry the beams on their shoulders as if in some absurd display of power. She found herself laughing softly, "No."

"Hm?" Soul had been incredibly busy examining her gown today, attention that he knew should be elsewhere but he couldn't help. It was as if Marie's warning had done the opposite and put a spell on him, planting a temptation that before might have been quieted by the current threats in their lives. Instead, the scoop to the neck of this dress was flashing tender shoulder blades and fine collarbones and maybe he wanted to run his fingers along them.

"How far is it?" Maka questioned and turned her head to Black Star for good measuring since Soul's head seemed to be in the clouds today.

"Two miles, give or take," Black Star shrugged.

"I'm walking." Maka turned from the carriage and took one giant step before Black Star was in front of her.

"With all due respect," which of course came bitingly and with little regard from Black Star, " _No_. Too many people lining the road hoping to get a glimpse of you. We have soldiers all along the way but inside the carriage is safer."

"And it's muck from here to there," Soul added.

"Then they should be allowed to actually get a glimpse of me, not just a box." Maka lifted the front of her dress to her knees, showing off no skin as she still had her riding boots on. "And if my dress gets dirty, all the better. I'm supposed to be _unclean_ , right? The temple will wash away everything so I can be a _perfect bride_ ," Maka rolled her eyes.

Both men had to stifle a laugh before Black Star looked to Soul. "You've got your sword. What about you, _my princess,_ you armed?"

"Of course," Maka scoffed. "And you know with all the respect in your ' _my princess'_ you might as well say my name."

"That would be improper," Black Star feigned shock as he moved to the side. "Fine, we walk, but you're flanked by me and the prince at all times."

Maka grinned as she moved next to Black Star. "I seem to remember that when we used to spar-"

"Are you trying to insinuate that you've beaten me? A God on Earth?" Black Star shot out as Maka giggled.

"Princess," Soul moved closely next to her and held out his elbow.

"It feels stupid to call you prince," Maka murmured as the walk started.

"I don't know, maybe I like yours, _princess_ ," that came with a purring baritone.

Maka glanced at him, watching his eyes smoldering at her like hot coals. Her stomach tied in a knock as pink came to her cheeks. "Keep your eyes on the crowd, please."

His chuckle did nothing but send another wave to her gut, but he did as told, eyes starting to scan the edges of the crowd. Black Star had been right, people had assembled, some just there for the sake of the market but most pressing right up against the soldiers that lined the walk. Maybe she should have felt exhilaration, suddenly the center of attention but instead it came with a churning type of sadness.

 _I'm really just one of you,_ she wanted to scream but that wasn't the truth anymore. She would never be. Instead, she was their princess now, something to be ogled and most likely held in disdain for all of her new privilege. As the walk dragged on, Maka started to gravitate towards the edges, finally getting to the point where they were practically at the line of soldiers as they finished the first mile.

"My princess," Black Star hissed.

"Just keep your eyes open. I just want to…" Maka huffed as she was now close enough to hear the myriad of murmurs, most sounding welcoming to her ears. She offered what she could back, 'hellos' and 'thank yous' as she moved along the edge of the crowd. Her smile was easier then, some of that melancholy draining. It was then that the little boy pushed through the soldiers, the excitement on his face barely contained. Both Black Star and Soul had jumped but Maka put her hands out. She knelt, gently catching the child who could be no older than three by his shoulders, keeping him from making the mistake of hanging on her skirts like little ones were apt to do.

A man had pressed in and for an instant, Maka felt disappointment, sure the little boy was about to be scooped away. Except the man wasn't stooping, not bringing himself to the child but instead keeping a steady forward motion that had Maka up from her knees in an instant. Black Star and Soul were buzzing somewhere in the background but Maka was too intent on the knife in the man's hand, following it as it lunged towards her and tried to meet its mark. It sliced through nothing but air because Maka had already grabbed at his wrist, forcing the man's momentum past her. She didn't relinquish her hold on his wrist and twisted it hard, wrenching it back as she pushed the man to his knees.

As Maka pressed the weight of her foot into his back, the dagger made a soft thud in the mud.

"You fucking idiots," Black Star was growling as he started at the soldiers. A few had come to Maka's side, grabbing the man from her and starting to restrain and drag him away.

Her heart was pounding in her chest, not racing like an animal's would in natural fear but a strange rage pressing it into motion. "Hear me!" Maka suddenly screamed and while she felt Soul's hands grabbing for her, touching softly to her arm and her waist she couldn't stop the pain of it. "I _am_ your princess, and I will treat you with the dignity you deserve as long as you show the same to me, but I am no weakling. I was a warrior first and if you come for me I'll be ready."

"Maka." Soul pulled her back towards him, getting her close enough so his hands could cup her cheeks and force her eyes to his. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," she murmured and she knew bright pink must have been flourishing under his fingers. _Oh, the last time he touched my face like this…_ She tried to pull in enough air to keep her heart from exploding. "I told you I could fight."

He laughed sharply, "And now so will just about everyone in the kingdom."

Maka tried to produce another smart remark but she couldn't concentrate. "Your hands."

"What about them?" They were now no longer stationary, one caressing along her jaw while the other dared to linger towards her hair.

"People are watching," she tried to produce some urgency in her voice but it all sounded too breathless.

"You think I care?" he offered with a snort of a laugh.

"You should." Maka grabbed both of his hands, forceful against the resistance he tried to put up as she pulled them to the space between the two of them. "Remember, they could question my honor."

Soul sighed, "Or see that I actually care about my princess."

She broke the connection entirely as she turned back towards the road, "Try to keep your hands to yourself." For once, being next to Black Star was the ideal for Maka since it left Soul without another word to say on the topic. Silence pinned her between the two of them as they finished the walk towards the steps of the temple.

The door creaked open as a lithe woman with dreadlocks slipped out and descended towards them. She was in a white tunic and pants with bandages that crawled from her neck like a collar to her bright blue eyes. Her eyes stared at Soul expectantly.

He barely produced the lines, even though they were rehearsed, since the ancient implications rubbed at him the wrong way. "I've come to give my bride to you so that she may be cleansed and ready to accept her…" Soul couldn't make it through without clenching his jaw, "... duties."

The woman's eyes turned to Maka. "I am willing," Maka produced with just as much enthusiasm, her mind still split between this moment and the last.

The figure nodded and turned her back to Maka who slowly followed behind. She afforded Soul one more glance, just in time to see him heaving a sigh as he offered a weak wave at his side. Maka could only reply with half a smile. _He cares about me, feeling something for me, and while I know part of me hopes it's love, the other part… it's making him forget how to act, to be careful, and that's dangerous. Even worse, it's tempting me to do the same._

A hand the color of umber grasped her elbow as she entered and Maka's eyes flashed back to those bright blue ones. "You look just like your mother."

Those words were more terrifying than the fact that the woman's voice had come clear as day through the bandages as if the words were just appearing in Maka's mind and not coming from that mouth. "I do look like Lady Marie, I suppose," Maka murmured softly.

"We both know that's not your mother."

Maka tried to dig her heels into the extravagant marble flooring of the temple but was slipping to gain purchase. Worse yet, the woman was not releasing her hold, sending her one more stumbling step forward. "Who are you?"

"Mira," the woman replied with an easy, even tone. "I knew your mother, Yaara."

Her heart was thundering in her ears, almost drowning out a name that no one should know, the one that was only whispered inside their home. Everywhere else her mother was a hunter and slipped into new names every few months to keep from leaving a steady trail but together, in the safety of their walls or with friends, she had been Yaara. "How do you…?"

"She was named well, with the honeysuckle hair that you've inherited." Mira relinquished her hold to run soft fingers to clear the tresses from Maka's shoulder. "I'm sorry that she's been missing for so long."

"Have you seen her?" Maka couldn't stop the frantic rise in her voice, the utter desperation at the idea.

Mira contemplated this before turning and starting again on the walk down the hallway. "The last time she came here was ten years ago."

Maka was quick to follow, leaving any hesitation behind her. "Here? At this temple? Why?"

"She wanted a blessing like she'd gotten many times before. It was nothing out of the ordinary." Mira risked a glance back at Maka with those piercing blue eyes. "Please, don't get your hopes up. I don't have answers for you beyond that. Her visit was no different and she left without raising any alarms with me. I wish there was more that I could tell."

"Oh," Maka let the word warble from her throat.

Mira slowed her pace to fall into step with Maka. "But while you're here, there are at least some stories I could tell if you'd be interested."

"About my mother?"

"And your father. He served with my husband."

"You're married?" Maka balked. "I thought priestesses couldn't…"

Thankfully the smile crinkled the corners of Mira's eyes, relieving Maka of the dread of offending her. "The ones in the inner temple, no, they remain untouched, but the rest of us live normal lives, have husbands, children, but are here for our special talents."

"What's yours?" Maka murmured as they turned the corner. The hall was narrower and doors had appeared, the atmosphere oddly humid.

"A little bit of everything," Mira laughed as she quickly turned into one of the doors. While there was no door there was a screen that seemed to cut the room in two. "Get undressed, please."

The expectation of the request didn't make it any easier and Maka's hands still made fists in the fabric of her dress. "I've already been examined by the physician."

Mira laughed softly, "Which is not the same as our examination. But would you like to know a secret?"

Maka let her eyes fall on Mira, still struggling against the uncertainty of the moment.

"No woman has failed these," Mira's smile was melting through the tense knot in Maka's chest. "Because purity is a matter of the person. Do you believe that you're pure?"

"I… as far as I know," Maka barely overcame the urge to whisper it. "I kissed someone once but I've never…"

"Then you pass," Mira shrugged. "But you'll still want to take off your clothes. There'll be a new gown for you when you're done but I doubt you want to soak in this."

Maka let a short laugh tumble out of her throat, "I'm sorry. I… of course, a bath, right? Marie told me that there was a part of this that was a literal cleansing."

Mira nodded and motioned Maka closer. She folded one panel of the screen back to reveal a circular pool that breathed steam into the room. With only another minute of hesitation, Maka started to undress as Mira bustled around the room, the sound of a pestle striking the only sound that resounded in the room beside the lapping of the water. Maka was slipping out of her boots when Mira turned back to her, a stone cup in her hand.

"You are your mother's daughter," Mira chuckled as she motioned towards the muddy boots.

The assumption should be that she smile, so Maka offered what she could but deep down she felt the churn in her stomach. _Being like her is a blessing and a curse._ She batted the thought away as Mira's thumb ran through the mixture at the bottom of the bowl and then moved towards her.

"Hold still." The oil was thick, sticking to Mira's finger as she moved it towards Maka's forehead. It was cool when it touched her skin like menthol as Mira's hand continued to make a line. She was being split in two, Mira only pausing to refill on more of the concoction. It was drifting past her belly button and Maka held her breath as it finished just at the split of her legs. "Wait one more minute."

Mira seemed unaffected as she turned away and back to her work but Maka was trying to quietly gasp for air. It was the first time anyone had touched her like that and the sensation was unlike anything else. Worse was the thought that instantly followed that: _He could touch you like that. In two days he'll have his right to._

Maka was snapped back to attention by Mira approaching her again, an incredibly sweet scent now wafting from the bowl. "The anointing is to remind you that soon you will be split into two people, a woman and a wife."

"And this one?" Maka trembled as Mira slicked all of her fingers before making fat smeared lines just above her hip bones.

"Consider it an extra blessing." Mira dipped her fingers again, making sure that all of the mixture had transferred from the cup to Maka's skin. "This is for fertility since I've heard you _must_ produce an heir."

Maka let out a trembling sigh as she looked down at the slick mess. "Thank you. I… I'm hoping that's the only help we'll need." Saying that brought a blush to her cheeks.

"I've heard a rumor…" Mira started as she brought a soft hand to Maka's shoulder and began to push her through the opening in the screen.

"That?" Maka urged her forward with her words just as Mira did with her feet.

"It should not be a problem," Mira's voice twittered with amusement. "The prince is supposed to be very taken with his bride."

"Oh." Maka tried to blame the heat on the vapors coming off of the water but as she dipped a toe in the temperature felt like nothing compared to the warmth buzzing in her chest.

"But I'll still give you a few things." Mira's hand disappeared from her shoulder, leaving Maka to guide herself into the depths of the pool, finding that she could comfortably sit on the ledge of the rim with everything below her neck submerged. Mira's disappearance was temporary, coming back with a tray full of vials and containers of different shapes and sizes. With the tray placed next to Maka, Mira picked up a blue vial. "I'll give you a few of these. While this sounds like blasphemy, taking this will be even more powerful than that secondary blessing I gave you. Though you'll need to drink it the day before you expect to have sex."

Maka almost choked at the word, having expected soft euphemisms to fill the day. "So for the wedding night, I should…"

"Take this tomorrow night in preparation, yes," Mira nodded.

"Alright." Maka fingered the vial as Mira placed it in front of her.

"I assume I don't have to give you anything for the opposite." While this sounded sure, Mira still paused, her hand hovering.

"Actually…" Maka was thankful for the surge of her purpose coming back. "May I smell it, please?"

"Smell it?" Even with the incredulity in Mira's voice she was still grabbing another vial and unscrewing the cap.

Maka took it from her, bringing the potion to her nose and trying to categorize each subtle scent. "And if I take just a small sip will it hurt me? Keep me from having a child?"

"It's temporary," Mira was narrowing her eyes. "And just a small sip of it wouldn't be enough. You'd need an entire vial each week."

She pressed it to her lips, just tilting enough to get a taste. Again, each subtly to the flavor was being tucked away in her mind. "Thank you." Maka tried to hand the vial back but Mira paused.

As her forehead wrinkled, Mira finally took it back from Maka. "You expect someone to try to dose you?"

It was the reminder of her mother's name that made Maka open her mouth and set the truth free, "Yes. I expect the physician isn't entirely what she seems and she's going to try to get rid of me whatever way she can."

"That's a heavy charge," Mira murmured.

"And I don't say it lightly," Maka's determination seemed to fizzle away all of Mira's confusion.

"Urdan root," Mira recapped the vial. "Regardless of the variation, if someone is trying to keep you from having a child they'll need urdan root. When it's crushed it will turn a rusty red."

"Thank you," Maka could smile now with at least one bit of surety coming to her. _If they try, I'll know. I can protect myself from this._ "Can they do the same for men?"

Mira let out a thoughtful hum, "Not that I've experienced and I feel like risking being found poisoning the prince runs a different price than the potential princess."

"She's already been poisoning him," Maka brought her voice low but not hesitant.

Mira dropped from her crouch to her knees, leaning back in thought. "Again, a heavy charge."

"And I would make my accusations known if I had proof, but…" Maka sighed as she sunk a little lower in the water, letting her hair fan out in the warm liquid. "All I have is my word and right now that holds very little power."

"Bide your time, then," Mira echoed her sigh as she rearranged a few containers on the tray. "And if trouble comes, you can use this place as a haven. I can't offer complete safety, but as I said before, some of us have talents." She reached out, taking some of Maka's hair in her fingers, "Now, why don't we continue the primping and you can ask all your questions about the wedding night."

The heat in Maka's cheeks once again trumped the water.

* * *

The people had mostly dissipated, a few still staring at the spectacle of the crowned prince lounging on the steps, his attention half on the captain of his guard while his eyes kept flicking back to the door. "It's not like they're torturing her in there," Black Star muttered.

"I'm not worried," Soul grumbled back.

"Right," Black Star rolled his eyes. "That's why we've sat here for the past two hours when we could have been back in the castle, or even better at the _pub_."

Soul raised his eyebrows as he allowed for a soft chuckle to break some of the tension in his chest. "Taking your prince to a pub? The Queen might have you beheaded."

Black Star huffed as he waved a hand in front of him to create a poor facsimile of a breeze. "At this point, I'm so hot and bored I might take the risk. It's not even tradition to escort her back, is it?"

"No," Soul let his eyes wander back to the door. "The priestess usually presents her back but…"

He followed Soul's gaze, wondering what he was seeing in his mind's eye. "Two attempts on her life don't settle well with you. Me either."

"Two?" Soul narrowed his eyes as he brought them back to Black Star.

"I'd count the Queen and Medusa's bullshit as an attempt," Black Star grimaced. "Maybe it's a slow tick, but they want her life."

Soul shook his head. "She never should have made that damn deal."

"What other choice did she have?" Black Star snapped back as he shook his head. "It was that or lose you. I don't think she wants that again."

"Again," he laughed ruefully before he rubbed the palms of his hands over the top of his knees, the next words tangling on his tongue. "Do you think…"

"Ah, wedding night advice?" Black Star tried to smother his cackle since eyes were still lingering over the two of them.

"Idiot," Soul hissed as he collapsed back on his elbows. "But it's not like I have that figured out either."

"We've got more than enough time to talk about both," Black Star muttered. "That's the first one, come on, spit it out."

Soul ejected out the words so fast that they seemed to be just one. "Do you think she could love me like she loved him?"

"Him? Meaning _you_?" Black Star's lips crinkled incredulously. "Is there something I'm not getting?"

"Just," Soul slid a hand through his hair before sighing. "She said she was guarding her heart. And you saw her today, she doesn't want me touching her."

Black Star hummed out in thought before shaking his head, "That was just being proper. Test it out tonight, when you see her."

"We're _not_ doing that, remember?" Soul grumbled.

"I kind of thought you two were going to forget that rule."

"Well…" Soul huffed and then paused to grind his jaw together, testing the words in his head before offering them to Black Star. "What if I _am_ tempted?"

"Oh," Black Star cawed.

"Shut up," Soul stammered as the color came to his cheeks.

"So you _do_ remember hourglass figures and breasts? Not that the princess has much of either," he trailed off in a mutter.

"Hey," Soul snapped.

"OK, OK," Black Star threw his hands up innocently. "Then follow the rules for once. Don't visit her, but if she visits you…"

"You think she would?" Soul hated how much that stirred a strange kind of hope in his chest. It was almost guilty as if he shouldn't wonder if her eyes lingered on him for reasons that would make her heart beat faster.

Black Star let out a sharp laugh, "That sounded way too desperate."

Soul's face grew sour as he contemplated the impropriety of starting a fight in the middle of the stairs. That thought was interrupted by the movement out of the corner of his eye, the door finally opening on its hinges. He was instantly on his feet, stumbling over the first two stairs before he righted himself.

Maka stepped out of the doorway, her eyes focused on negotiating the dress out of the door behind her. This morning's gown had been distracting but this one was completely mesmerizing. It barely hung onto her shoulders as it dipped drastically between her breasts to show off an intricate pattern that had been brushed onto her skin in a staining ink. It cinched tightly at her waist before puddling to her feet with the train that she was currently fighting with. His eyes were jumping over the rest of her as well, her lips painted in a beautiful pink and her hair braided intricately with blossoms woven into the twists.

She cursed under her breath as she finally seemed to get herself free of whatever was catching her train and Soul couldn't stop the delirious, soft laugh from escaping his mouth. Maka jumped, her eyes blinking at him as the color came to her cheeks. "Oh… you're here."

"I waited," the words dumbly stumbled off his tongue before he took another step closer to her. "You look beautiful."

Black Star started to snicker, "Guess I was wrong about the hips and-"

Soul sent him a deadly glare which at the very least cut off his words before he turned his desperate eyes back to Maka. "You really… you are, Maka."

"You don't…" Her eyes were searching down her front as if the words were sewn into the fabric. "You didn't have to wait for me. Mira was going to walk me back." Maka turned her head back towards the door and Mira appeared again, nodding at Soul.

"Is it… is it wrong that I want to take her?" Soul tried to sound demanding but heard it more as a sputter.

"No, my prince. It's rare, but I would almost expect it of you." Mira closed that with a soft chuckle before running a hand over Maka's arm. "Take care, princess."

"Thank you." Maka waited, watching her go and the door close behind her. With a slow breath and more color added to her cheeks Maka took another step down, now just one away from him. "You must have been bored."

"We managed," Soul's smile was threatening to break across his face. "What did she mean that she expected it of me?"

A new shade of pink that he didn't think was possible flushed across her neck, further popping against the white. "There's a rumor."

"Which is?" He was desperate to make that last step, to be closer to her but he limited it to reaching out his hand to help her make the step if she chose.

"That you're in love," Maka murmured.

And while his blush became just as bright as hers he didn't offer a stammering complaint or explanation, just that smile taking complete control of his face.


	9. Chapter 9

When Mira entered the temple it was a mirage, as if Maka had never left until her eyes focused in the low light, seeing the age added. "Yaara." She knew she should sound surprised but could urge none of it forward.

"How is she?" Yaara asked gently as she took another step forward and exposed a tired face.

"Scared," Mira shook her head softly. "This is the time that a girl needs her mother, Yaara. You should go to Maka now, before-"

Yaara broke Mira's words with a huff, "Maka is grown. She has made this decision and while I can most certainly fault her in her choice…"

"I wouldn't," Mira laughed. "He is very much in love with her."

A bitter snort of a laugh left Yaara. "Young men don't know _what_ they love. And that's not important anyway. Did she say she'd found proof of witchcraft in the castle? Did she tell you where her father is?"

"She's suspicious of the physician but I don't think she trusted me enough to be honest of whether or not she was a witch." Mira sighed, "Spirit's somewhere. Maka wouldn't divulge specifics. And, really, Yaara, if you wanted this information you know _you_ asking her would work. You're her mother, she'd tell you every last secret. I don't know why you're insisting on being like this."

"I have my reasons," Yaara spat before settling her anger again. "Keep an eye on her. I'll leave tomorrow."

"You're not staying for the wedding?" Mira's eyebrows rose as she tried to read Yaara's stone face.

Yaara was already turning away, hiding any clue that would be there. "Why should I?"

* * *

Maka froze at the knock on the door. _It's him. We're not supposed to see each other but after that stupid smile on his face today…_ It brought more fluttering to her chest, leaving her voice warbling, "Come in."

Black Star entered with a half-assed salute. "Princess. I've brought the girls _as you instructed_."

"Oh," Maka could breathe again as her mind calmingly turned to the mission. "You can bring them in."

"Let's go," Black Star barked back into the hallway.

Four women, who couldn't be much younger than she was, walked in. Two were obviously sisters, the same dirty blond hair and blue eyes, only to be differentiated by the length of their hair and height. The second was a beautiful black haired girl with indigo eyes and the third had the strangest pink hair Maka had ever seen. Together, they seemed like a motley crew, complete odds and ends, but this was all that was available thanks to Black Star's antics.

"And this," Black Star rolled his eyes as he took a letter out of his pocket. "I'd like to remind you I'm a badass warrior, not an errand boy."

Maka wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh at him or let a sigh drift from her lips as she clutched at the paper in her fingers. "You can leave now."

Black Star sucked his teeth before turning and stomping out of the room.

She flipped the paper in her hands before she did let the sigh leave her. "The prince has said that you're trustworthy, that he knows you, and has spent time with all of you in the kitchen."

The women exchanged nervous glances with each other.

"And since all of you have also had enough sense not to sleep with Black Star," this eased each woman into a laugh or two, "I'd like to ask you to help me, but it's a lot more complicated than just braiding my hair."

"Princess, excuse me, but…" The tall blond had stepped out of line. "What do you mean by _more complicated_?"

Maka offered a soft smile, "Could we start with your names first? And, for right now, please just call me Maka. I get that I'll be princess but… before all this started you and I were equal."

The group exchanged glances again and the tall blond continued. "I'm Liz. This is my sister, Patty. Tsubaki," she pointed towards the dark-haired woman, "and finally Kim. Excuse her hair, she's always playing with herbs and experimenting on herself."

"I just rubbed my hair with some ground yollow root!" Kim rolled her eyes in exasperation. "I _like_ it."

"Let's not argue in front of the princess," Tsubaki murmured softly as she grabbed both of their elbows.

"Maka," Patty corrected, but all of them still seemed unsettled with the idea.

"Maka," Liz tested. "So the rumors that you were a common girl are true?"

"Yes," Maka let her mouth crinkle into a frown. "And if we continue I'd love to hear the rest of the rumors so that maybe I can get ahead of them but right now I need something even more important than that. I'm going to ask you all to be my team, my captains of the guard like Soul has Black Star."

"We're not soldiers," Kim laughed nervously.

"You are, just not the kind with swords." Maka flattened the note in her lap before she brought her smile back to them. "To last in a castle like this, you all have to be smart, strong, capable. That's what I need."

"Because…?" Liz offered.

"People are trying to get rid of me," Maka answered plainly. "And trying to control and keep Soul sick."

"I knew it!" Kim spat. "He _was_ getting worse," she hissed at Liz who rolled her eyes.

"We couldn't be sure," Liz recovered, "but it's been noticeable. Especially when you compare it to… well, he _has_ seemed better since you got here. Which makes me kind of want to side with you."

"I appreciate that," Maka smiled sweetly.

"But how can you be sure we're not going to turn?" Kim narrowed her eyes at Maka. "You said it yourself, we've had to work hard, be smart to survive so what if the other side pays more?"

There was silence for a moment and Kim waited for the explosion of anger, the punishment that would come her way for speaking so. Instead, Maka let a short laugh tumble from her lips. "I can't. In that regard, I'm completely powerless, but I have to trust my gut that I'm going to be rewarded for placing my trust in you, all of you."

Kim chewed this over before letting the wrinkles in her forehead relax. "What do you need us to do?"

"I'm sure you're all aware of the promise I made the day of the choosing…" Maka rubbed a hand against her cheek, trying to push away the idea again of that potion she'd have to take, the swiftly approaching wedding. "I think that will be the way they try to get rid of me first, so I'll need Patty and Tsubaki to be personally in charge of my food as well as Soul's."

"You mean someone is going to poison you?" Tsubaki gasped it out as she clutched her chest.

"Not to kill, but to keep me from having a child, definitely," Maka nodded. "Which brings me to you, Kim. You already know plenty about herbs, and while Soul thinks we should assign you, I'd rather have you wheedle your way in on your own."

"Wheedle my way where?" Kim finally let some of the tension tighten her words.

"I want you to be Medusa's assistant."

"The physician?" Kim balked. "You suspect her?"

"For many reasons," Maka tried to close that line quickly with solemnity. "And I need you to find a way to get under her tutelage and watch what she's making. If she prepares anything with-"

"Urdan root," Kim interrupted with a sigh. "Yeah, I know. But you really think, for sure, that she'd do something like that? I mean, she _is_ a little creepy, but she's always been nice."

Maka shook her head firmly, "Nice enough that all the potions she's been giving Soul have been making him lose his memory and his mind."

"Shit," Kim muttered.

"Poor Soul," Patty mourned as she nudged into her sister. "We have to help him."

Liz wrapped an arm around her sister, "We will. I just need to know what you expect of me."

"You'll be my main lady-in-waiting. This will allow you to easily funnel information from your sister in the kitchen to me. It's not ever suspicious when sisters talk." Maka motioned towards them. "Especially with sisters who seem so close."

"That's smart," Liz nodded. "Fine. I'm in."

"Me, too!" Patty cried joyfully.

"I'll help," Tsubaki added.

Kim hesitated but she still locked eyes with Maka. "What do we get out of this?"

"Kim," Tsubaki seemed to scold as she grabbed Kim's arm.

Maka waved her hand dismissively. "No, it makes sense. Kim's right. What are any of you going to get out of helping me since there will be danger. If Medusa becomes suspicious of you your station puts you in greater peril than me. Who would care if a kitchen girl went missing when there's so many?" Maka stood, putting the letter to the side as she moved to stand right in front of them. "I can't even necessarily say that there would be an end to this and you could be in for the rest of your lives like Black Star. So it comes down to what _you_ want. I'll promise you that I'll give you whatever you ask if it's within reason and within my power."

"Anything?" Kim raised her eyebrows.

"Again, within reason and within my reach as Queen," Maka shrugged. "I can't even say how much that will mean since his father has yet to step down and, well, Soul will be King first."

Kim snorted a laugh, "Except he made that cute little speech that you were equals."

Maka revisited that moment in her mind with a smile, "He did. We'll see if he's true to his word."

"He always is," Tsubaki urged, surprising Maka.

"Well, Kim?" Liz turned to her.

Kim crossed her arms over her chest, "Fine, but I'm going to ask for a lot of money."

Maka grinned, "That's probably very doable. The rest of you can ask when you're sure. For now, remember, Tsubaki, Patty, and Kim remain in the kitchen. Kim, you figure out how to get yourself in good with Medusa, and Liz, you report here every morning."

The group nodded their agreement and with just a few more soft mumbles and murmurs they slowly trailed out. Maka stood watching the door for a few slow breaths, examining the entirety of the conversation in her mind, trying to find the mistakes and holes. _Just one, that I will have to trust them. I have no choice but there is so much chance there._ She rubbed her hands over her face and let them drift into her hair, tugging lightly at the roots.

The worry abated momentarily until her eyes ran over the letter again, her heart jumping into her throat almost instantly at the words she could imagine were there. _It's not a love letter,_ she lamely tried to convince her own mind as she took the slow steps toward it. She sat again and pressed her thumb in the seal.

_Maka,_

_Why does it feel strange not to see you? A few weeks ago I couldn't even remember your face and now… I'm looking forward to this being over, mostly because it means that I'll have every opportunity I want to talk to you. I'm hoping you're looking forward to that, too._

_I also wanted to ask if you'd come to the training ring tomorrow. It's another one of those things where it's not exactly against the rules, but it's not expected for the bride to be there. With how things are, it's not going to be a big show, just people I trust in case something doesn't go well. I've been feeling good though, so maybe it'll just be another day that I can get back some memories or just make new ones._

_Soul_

* * *

The absurdity of this was not lost on Soul. The idea that a woman was supposed to show purity while the man was to mindlessly beat other people senseless in a show of bravery and strength hadn't sat well with him. That was part of the reason why he invited Maka since he was betting on the fact that she wouldn't for a second refuse the chance to show off her clout. On top of that, the idea of going most of the day without seeing her wasn't something he wanted to do.

Other than Maka, it was just supposed to be Black Star and two of his lieutenants, Kilik and Ox. Even with the small party, Soul had spent much of the night before awake with worry, the idea that this would be the first real test of his control. While his memories had started to come back on their own and his nightmares weren't every night, the whispers were often still there and he feared their growth at his first taste of conflict. He hated to admit it, but that was his third reason for wanting Maka there: a safety net if he waded too far into the darkness.

That's why the thought came so easily to him when Maka hopped over the fence of the training ring. _I need her._ Maybe that's what brought the blush that he quickly tried to wipe away as he approached her. "Good morning, princess."

"Good morning," she echoed happily. "I'm glad you invited me."

"Easy decision," he grinned as he reached for her hand. His mind was threatening the idea of kissing the top of her knuckles, some grand gesture that felt completely out of his wheelhouse but something he was willing to try if it produced either that blush or her smile, but he was foiled by her gloves. "You're wearing them again?"

Maka pulled her hand away as she seemed to scold, "Who fights barehanded?"

"I guess that's a better answer than you can't touch your future husband's hand," he let grumble from his lips.

Even with the impropriety, Maka nudged him as she walked past, "Stop complaining and let's get to fighting."

"I'm not sure beating your prince is a good way to start off a marriage," Black Star chuckled.

"That's why you and I are fighting," Maka corrected with a grin. "I've been meaning to beat you senseless for that bath incident."

"Bath incident?" Soul narrowed his eyes at Black Star.

"Definitely have _no_ idea what you're talking about," Black Star grimaced as he shook his head swiftly. "But, come on, princess, I'll let you get one or two free hits before I toss you in the dust."

"Black Star-" Soul started but was instantly cut off by Maka's glare.

"I don't need him to take it easy on me," she instantly corrected. "Let's go, _captain_."

"Now who's making their standing sound like an insult."

Kilik laughed as he fell in line next to Soul. "I do not want to miss this!"

Soul was unsure what to do since technically this was supposed to be a day for him to be showing off, but he was sure he'd rather watch Maka do it for him. Fortunately for him, Ox was already making the decision for him, handing off a spear as he motioned with his own to the other side of the ring. It definitely wasn't his weapon of choice and to make matters worse he could barely tear his attention away from Kilik's whooping cries of amusement. Soul kept with the diversion though, getting the distinct feeling that Ox was taking it easy on him. He wasn't even necessarily breaking a sweat, and the voices seemed to want to stay as that soft static.

Maka and Black Star were still going strong as Soul called it a quits with Ox. Soul let him join up with Kilik, the two of them murmuring jovially together as Soul chose to ease back and lean into the fence on his elbows.

"Water, my prince?"

Soul turned his head to the girl, thin with a narrow mouth that seemed pockmarked at the ends. "Thank you." He took the cup from her tray before watching her go to Kilik and Ox, offering them the remaining drinks before hurrying off out of the ring. While sipping at the cool drink he watched Maka and Black Star continue even though their antics were slowly coming to a close, both parties panting and dirty. "The two of you are making the rest of us look bad," Soul called.

"I always make you look bad," Black Star cackled back but took the hint, dropping his sword and motioning for Maka to do the same. "And what are you doing? Relaxing?"

"Can't miss the show," Soul shrugged as his eyes hopefully fell to Maka. He was relieved to see her walking his way and as she got close enough he offered the rest of his cup to her. "Here, you earned it more than me."

"Thank you," her voice purred at him and he felt that urge again, his hand lingering close to hers even after she took the cup and brought it towards her mouth. She took a long draft while her eyes watched him over the rim. As she lowered the cup she let out a short laugh, "What's that look for?"

"Nothing," he answered quickly as he let his hand find a home on her wrist to toy with the edge of her gloves.

"Soul…" he could hear the admonishment start and all it did was urge his fingers to wrap around their position rather than relinquish it.

"I doubt Kilik and Ox are going to start rumors," he muttered.

Maka slipped out of his grip. "That isn't the point."

"Maka," he murmured just for her, leaning his face closer to hers so that his words were only for her ears. "Just tell me that by the end of tomorrow I'll be allowed again because I-"

"Come on, lovebirds," Black Star shouted, making the pair jump and Soul settle back against the fence again. "Let's see you two spar. Unless Soul remembers now how all the other matches went."

Maka produced a short laugh as she threw her head over her shoulder to Black Star, "I thought I shouldn't beat my future husband."

"Who said you'll beat me?" Soul challenged as he grabbed the cup from her hand and finished the dredges before tossing it to the dirt. "Choose your weapon, princess."

"You'll only stand a chance with a sword," Maka shot back at him as she turned her smirk to shine in his face.

"Don't be so cocky," he laughed as he walked over to the weapon stand, pulling off a sword.

"You think you can win?" Maka teased.

"Maybe I do," Soul grinned as he closed the space between them, Maka sweeping her sword playfully at his feet to stop him from getting any closer. "And when I do, I expect one touch. Just one."

Maka's face flushed but she managed a sharp laugh. "Good luck, my prince."

"Not gonna need it." He twisted his wrist before bringing his sword between them, coaxing her into taking the first strike. Soul was half sure his determination would mean nothing, especially since he _did_ remember their old sparring record and he was woefully on the bottom. Combine that with the fact that he had avoided fighting for as long as he had meant that he was most likely rusty which was the exact opposite of Maka. Instead, he felt an odd exhilaration start to course through his veins and while he was in no way smooth and perfect, he was at least keeping pace with her, though mostly holding the defensive.

It was his first real strike that started it. As their swords met, he attempted to close the gap and push her back but instead, she sidestepped him, letting his weight take him to the ground on his knees. "Are you alright?" was her instant reaction, sweet and comforting as a hand touched to his back. In the dizzying fall he realized it wasn't exhilaration and just as the dust billowed around him, the hum of the voices became a chorus, drowning out his thoughts and his will. He watched helplessly as his body turned without him, grasping at her wrist.

He wondered if her shoulder dislocated because the force with which he snapped her arm seemed impossible, tossing her into the dust next to him. Her eyes were panicked and white and Soul wished he could show the same. Instead, he knew the sick smirk was pressing across his lips. "That hurt," he heard scratch from his throat, barely his own voice.

Her lips moved but there was no way for the sound of her voice to filter through the screams in his head.

"It hurts," he heard himself groan again as his chest flared up in pain. If he had the ability to tear his attention from Maka he would realize that his white shirt was soaked with a slash of black, the oily blood oozing from the tip to the end of his scar. Unfortunately, it was his hand that occupied all his thoughts as it clutched around her neck. By that point, the other hands were on his shoulders, Black Star desperately trying to restrain the arm at Maka's throat.

Again, her lips were moving, her eyes not on Soul but on Black Star as she reached her only free hand to him rather than to fight back. "My glove," she was trying to squeeze out of her throat.

As Kilik and Ox took over Soul's arms, Black Star pulled the glove from Maka's hand and watched desperately as she clutched it to Soul's cheek. It was instantaneous, both Soul and Maka gasping for air as Soul's hand released while Maka's dug in. Black Star had gotten one arm around Soul's middle, pinning his arm to him but letting the connection stay as Maka continued to make up for her lost air.

Soul was groaning, his eyes barely open as the strain started to stretch across Maka's face.

"Keep it up, princess," Black Star muttered as he felt the muscles start to relax in Soul's arms.

"Soul, please," she coughed out as the tightness of her grip left crescent moons dug in his cheek.

"Maka," he finally croaked, and Maka dropped her hand, letting it come to her face to hide it. Soul's eyes were blinking open, his mind bringing together the puzzle pieces now in the complete absence of the voices. "Maka," he repeated desperately as he tried to shake free from Black Star.

"Soul," Black Star started but stopped, seeing the tears starting in the corner of his best friend's eyes. He let the arm slip away and sat back miserably on his haunches as he watched Soul come apart.

He was crying without restraint, his hands instantly wrenching away from all holds so he could touch the wrist of the hand she was using to hide her own. "Maka, please…" he murmured hoarsely.

"I'm OK," she squeaked as she let her hand fall from her face, the tears clearing lines in the dirt on her face.

"No," Soul groaned as another layer of horror hit him. As his hand touched her cheek his thumb brushed her lips, clearing the black blood from her lips. He lifted his shaking hand to display it to her, instantly negating the blush that had started with that tender touch.

Maka's hand came back to her face as she twisted away from him on her side. As she got up on her knees she spit into the dirt, watching the viscous black substance spray from her lips instead of saliva. _It's just a small transfer, right? Not an infection but a residual from our connection, but how?_ And as she raised her head, her answer was right in front of her.

Medusa crouched in front of Maka, the fake panic coming off her in waves. "My princess, are you alright? Please, let me-"

"No," Maka croaked as she pushed up further, sitting back on her heels. "No, thank you, I'm fine."

"Then, my prince, perhaps we should get you back to your room. That was quite a _fit_." Medusa motioned towards Black Star, "Won't you help him up?"

Black Star stayed put, his eyes turning to Soul who sighed. "I… yes. I will go back to my room."

Maka turned her head sharply, "What?"

His eyes refused to leave the stain Maka had left in the dirt as the murmur barely left his mouth, "I look forward to seeing you tomorrow."


	10. Chapter 10

When Soul even refused to show up to dinner, Maka had made up her mind. She waited until it was pitch black, donned her riding clothes, and snuck out to the courtyard to climb the wall to his bedroom window. It took her even less time than the first since she wasn't thinking sweet, soothing thoughts but the contemplating the agitated screaming she was about to let loose. When she slipped into the window, he was still awake, red eyes glaring at her from the darkness.

"Get out," Soul murmured. "Please."

Maka wiped her hands on her pants before sighing, "I think somehow you've mistakenly come to the conclusion that now that we're betrothed, you can order me around."

Soul sat up in the bed, his hands clenched into fists in the sheets. "Maka-"

She walked closer to the bed, stopping at his side. "You need to purge it from your mind. Not to mention, when we're married that doesn't change either. So you can suggest I leave, but I'm not going to."

He threw his eyes to the sheets, a withering sigh from his mouth. "Talking about this is pointless. You can't deny that somehow, it transferred to you. I saw the black blood on your lips!"

"I wasn't going to deny it," Maka answered softly. "It happened. I don't think I feel it in me anymore, but it is something to be careful of. It was an accident, though, and can be easily explained by Medusa showing up. You took water from that girl, and while I don't know many of your servants, I don't recognize her. We both drank it and I'm almost sure it must have been polluted with one of Medusa's potions. Without those mixtures, you have been-"

"No," Soul groaned. "No, Maka. It's not something to be careful of, it's a risk we shouldn't be taking. The betrothal, it's off. I won't marry you if-"

The words were cut off by the resounding crack of her hand connecting with his cheek, sending his neck snapping to one side. "How dare you," hissed from her mouth.

He brought his completely bewildered eyes back to her. "Maka, I want to keep you safe."

"Do I have to slap you again?" she threatened. "You made a promise to me!"

"Maka, I-"

He was sure her hand was coming back for another violent impact but instead it was to press his cheeks between both of them, holding his head steady so she could stare in his eyes. "You are breaking a promise and you are being a coward, and that is most certainly not you, so snap out of it or I will slap you again."

Soul grabbed her hands, bringing them from his face to clutch them tightly in his. "Think about it, Maka. If it could pass that easily, just from a touch, potion or no, what could happen when we have a child? You've already made your deal that we have to so there's no avoiding it, but imagine passing this on to them? Or worse, what if it's not a child at all but a _monster_ that hurts you, tears you apart like my nightmare come true? I won't let that happen to you."

"So you'd gutlessly just marry a different girl and let that happen to her? Better I live and some throw-away courtesan suffers and dies?" Maka delivered that with a strange calm, making the words that much more chilling. "Because you must realize that not marrying me means that you'd have to marry someone else. Did all your thinking today not bring you to that conclusion?"

"No," he murmured softly, his hands squeezing until her fingers ached. "But you have to get-"

"I know, if your concern wasn't so stupid it would be sweet," Maka huffed out a sigh. "But if it's you and me, we're capable of dealing with whatever it will be. If it's a normal child, one tainted with the blood, or some terrifying alternative, we can be strong enough as long as we're together. Don't risk other people and other things just because you're scared for me."

"Aren't you scared though?" He forced her closer, pulling her to sit on the bed with him as he drew his legs back to make room for her.

"Of course I am," she laughed. "Just maybe the next thing you'll finally remember is that even though we're scared, it doesn't negate our duty. Even if that includes bearing children and everything that comes along with that," she couldn't stop the end of the sentence from tightening her throat, bringing her voice up an octave. It didn't help that they were close again, Soul having moved her in his desperation until she was almost in his lap. To make matters even worse she watched as he realized it and instead of fumbling away one of his hands moved from hers and dared to run along her shoulder and threaten to touch the bare skin of her neck.

"I don't want to lose you," he murmured.

"I'm not going anywhere," she huffed but it was hard to hold onto the annoyance as his fingertips just brushed her neck. "Soul, I came here to argue with you, not-"

He laughed softly, "It's so weird that you can be so courageous in the face of the future, our _duty_ , but my fingers make you tremble."

"We aren't married," she hissed as she grabbed his fingers away, stopping the temptation. _Because how do I tell him that the trembling isn't fear?_

He grinned as he released her, giving her space as he leaned back on the bed, his head hitting the pillow. "Not yet, at least."

"Even though _you_ were about to throw it all away," Maka murmured as she got up the bed. "I should… I should go."

Soul was eyeing her, a forlorn sigh hitting his lips. "Stay. Please."

"Are you insane?" Maka hissed.

"Maybe that slap rattled my brains," he murmured as he turned his head to the wall, focusing on the stone. "But I still… I want to ask you to stay. I want you here, with me, and…"

She took a step back for safety, though she was unsure of what from. He wasn't grabbing at her, eyes not even stealing anything. Really, she needed saving from herself, her heart pounding at the idea but not in dread. _Because I want what we had. We were so close, and the more I think about it, what would have happened that day or after it if I hadn't been so stupid._ "Soul…"

"Please don't say my name like that, it makes it worse," he sighed. "Even with what I said I spent every other moment wishing for you. Wanting to stay with you but I thought _that_ was the selfish decision. I know I was wrong. I'm sorry and… you should go, Maka. Just leave, please. We both have a long day tomorrow."

Why did a whimper want to come from her mouth at the idea? Leaving was safe, proper since this moment was honestly anything but. Two unsteady steps brought her back to the bedside, her breath catching as he turned his head to her again. Soul reached out his hand and without a clear reason in her mind, Maka intertwined her fingers with his. _I wonder if he's remembering something, what this might make him think of. We held hands like this sometimes but never late at night, alone, and never-_ The thought was cut off by him pulling her forward, forcing her knees onto the bed and her free hand to press just above his shoulder to keep her balance.

"I thought we both agreed that you should go," his voice was more of a low growl than a whisper, not anger but something close to pain infusing his tone.

"I want…" Maka struggled for air as his other hand planted on her waist.

"You want?" he sounded just as breathless.

 _This is wrong. This is dangerous. This is putting all my work in jeopardy just so that I can… so that I can spend a few more minutes with him looking at me like that._ "I want a better apology."

He grunted a laugh, "Slapping me didn't fix it?"

"No," she shook her head sharply. "You were about to…"

"Do the only thing you've ever begged me not to do," he sighed and released her hand. It left her off balance, but he caught her with that hand on her waist as the other climbed up her arm to her shoulder. Both worked in tandem, bringing her down on top of him as Maka gripped the sheets above his shoulders.

"Soul…" she gasped as her chest lit on fire. She just turned her head in time, letting her cheek rest next to his rather than the much more dangerous alternative. Even this was threatening to burst her heart out of her chest, especially as his lips grazed right next to her neck.

"I never should have left you. Not then, and I shouldn't be trying again now." His hot breath echoed against her ear as his hands gripped tighter, one digging into the flesh of her hip while the other pressed her shoulder close to his chest. "I don't think it was my choice, though, was it? Not then?"

"No," Maka warbled.

"I'm sorry. I got scared for you because I-"

"Don't," Maka cut him off quickly as her hands slipped to his shoulders to give her enough leverage to pull away from him. She got just enough that she could see his face when his hands resisted, holding her in place.

Soul's eyes were searching hers with that steady, analyzing face she'd seen a thousand times. "Alright, that's too much, huh?" Instantly his hands were at his side but he was still processing. "I hope that was enough of an apology."

"Yes," she murmured quickly as she climbed off him and struggled to her feet at the edge of the bed. _Why didn't I want him to say it? Because he was going to, right? That's what he was going to say, that he loves me and I… why couldn't I bear to hear it?_ "I'll… be ready for tomorrow."

She heard the bed move and he grabbed her wrist lightly. "You can tell me if you're scared."

"I…" Maka shook her head quickly but couldn't bring her eyes to his. "What is there to be scared of?" She didn't let him answer the question - as if there was an answer - just simply rushed for the window, desperate for the night air, and to be free from her thoughts.

* * *

Picking your bride for love was a rare option and the traditional wedding ceremonies were built with this in mind. Customary dress was expected for both of them, Soul in a long red robe that his mother had embroidered by the most talented hands with fine gold thread. It was ludicrous, and he hated it, but it hadn't been worth arguing about because fighting it meant losing the opportunity to see her in the same. The cut of the dress was purposefully like the one from the temple, low to show off the decorative stain that was still bright on her chest, proof that she was pure and ready to wed.

Gone was the white, replaced with a red to match his, one that was supposed to bring luck and fortune but he felt all of his was already used just to be able to see her this way. Her hair was pulled up in an elaborately braided bun, but in it she had stuck the same hairpin, an action that stirred that same feeling of hope in him. But how long had he spent last night thinking about and dissecting her ' _Don't'_ and how adamantly she'd fallen into but then avoided his touch? Again, he tried to will his mind to remember that it was Marie's warning that had started it, but something seemed to be urging it on in Maka's heart. Even looking at her now, those emerald eyes softly playing over his face, he was sure she was locking something away.

The ceremony was nothing more than a pledge of an antiquated list of demands a husband should make of a wife and then the opposite. There was nothing special, nothing singular about it as they were just words that hundreds of other couples had spoken before them. It was designed to be a spectacle, that was all, with his parents and dignitaries and all other random court goers to watch. That was why as the last words drifted from the officiant's mouth, just before they were supposed to turn, Soul lifted her hand in his. There were no gloves to dissuade him and the idea that she could see this all as ceremony urged him so strongly to brush her knuckles to his lips as he bowed his head to her.

Those were not soft murmurs that filled the room but a ruckus of unexpecting voices, so many whispers in the room that the sound was a steady hum. It didn't matter to Soul, all of his care stolen away by the slow blossom of her smile as he raised his head. It wasn't as radiant as he knew it could be, still tempered by fear and nerves all rolled into one, but she held his eyes like she used to and refused to look away. And there at the altar, he made a final promise in his mind: _If you won't let me tell you, then I'll at least show you the best that I can._

It was back to the status quo, leading her back down the aisle to cheers. He knew he'd only have a few moments as they transitioned to the hall which was to be their final resting place for the entirety of what was supposed be a banquet but would most likely end up being a continual line of kissing ass. Again, these were not built for romance but instead a way to placate dignitaries with a show. He stopped her on the cusp of the hall, his hand softly coming to her cheek. "I'll be right back."

Maka had been half lost in the wonder of letting his hand sit on her cheek when she snapped back to reality. "What?"

"I swear, just a few minutes." She tried to grab his hand but Soul was too quick, turning back in the hallway to catch Black Star. He pulled him close, his lips practically to his ear as he listed out the orders he had perfected ever since his lips touched her hand. When he pulled away, Black Star only offered him a sly smile and a salute before trotting on his way.

"Soul," Maka snapped as he finally got back to her side.

"You can yell at me later," he chuckled. "But we're overdue."

"Thanks to _someone_ needing to whisper to his best friend. What are you up to?" Maka raised an eyebrow.

"Trust me." He let out one more laugh before he led her into the hall which had been ostentatiously decorated with more flowers than the spring meadows he used to pretend to begrudgingly follow her through. She was still eyeing him skeptically as he led her to her seat, waiting for her to get comfortable before he even bothered to follow suit.

As Soul sat, Maka leaned in with her lips next to his ear, "It better not be anything-"

"You really are stubborn," he cut her off with a laugh.

She huffed, ready to continue but Soul was thankfully saved by the first set of well-wishers in a line that spanned the entirety of the hall and beyond it. And while there had been a few times before and would be many times after, in that instant Soul was endlessly glad that he'd married her, finding Maka taking away all the need for his voice as she spun through ' _thank you's_ and all other sorts of pleasantries. It seemed effortless for her, and all he was required to do was smile and nod at the correct intervals, never receiving a glare or any admonishment from her in his silence.

Soul let his fingers creep under the table, the tips just caressing the silky fabric of her dress on her thigh. A little color brushed her cheeks and her hand swiftly moved to his. Thankfully, instead of batting his hand away, she clutched it, keeping him from anything more daring but at least giving him a sense of comfort that brought back with it old memories. _I used to hold her hand every chance I got. Sometimes it would take coaxing, a little battle of fingers, but in the end, she would hold onto me tighter and refuse to let go. Maybe that's her, scared to have what she wants but when she gets it…_ He spent the rest of the night hoping he was right.

* * *

Maka's hands were tightly wound into the cinch of her gown, her fingers starting to tingle from the lack of circulation as her grip was all that was keeping her dress together for the moment. Soul had once again excused himself quickly when they had gotten back to the room, another unexpected and anxiety-producing interruption. _But what is he interrupting? He led you here calm as could be, for once his hands not needy and searching but easy as I clutched at his elbow. And now…_

The pins and needles were too much and Maka finally let the tie go, feeling the fabric that was already so tenuously clinging to her shoulders keep slipping. She only caught it at her breasts, feeling it puddle down her back and exposing more skin to the surprising coolness in the room. The temperature didn't matter, her skin lightly up especially as the door opened again, Soul striding in with strange confidence until he caught sight of her. His throat bobbed comically with a swallow and Maka almost thought she'd be able to laugh, but as soon as he took another step forward the feeling froze in her chest.

Even though Soul was moving in her direction, he sidestepped her at the last minute, moving to the trunk that had been placed at the foot of the bed. He opened the lid and shuffled through for a moment before pulling out a silken robe in the most luscious lilac color. Without any words to accompany it, Soul held it out behind her. Her fingers still ached as she released the tense hold on the fabric, now letting the rest of her gown fall to the ground as she slipped her arms into the robe.

Her breath was stolen away as his hand drifted along the back of her neck, pulling her hair out of the collar and letting it settle on her back. Maka wanted to question him especially as his eyes just stared intently at her face when she turned her head. Instead, his voice started, low and gruff as if he was holding in air. "I had them draw a bath for you. And, well, a few other things, but… I hate to ask you for this, but I need a little of your blood."

"My what?"

This was when his eyes dipped away, a pained smile on his face, "Like Marie said, they expect, well… a sign that we…"

"Oh," Maka murmured.

"Mine won't work, it'll be black and… it doesn't have to be much, just a few drops on the sheets."

"Then we're…" Maka pressed a hand to her face, trying to cage the trembling in her voice before continuing. "We're going to fake it?"

"For tonight," he murmured. "You… you must be tired and… well, I guess what I'm saying is I'm not making a decision. It's what you want, and I guess I just assumed…"

Air leaked slow and unsteadily from her lips. _What do I want? Last night it was wrong but now we're married and I have to produce an heir and I took that damn potion and…_ She tipped her eyes to him, knowing the desperation and confusion that was there and wondering if his eyes would mirror it. Instead, there was a bit of nervousness but something else she couldn't identify. It was a new softness, something that maybe she'd seen before but had known she'd spent the night wondering about. "Thank you."

Soul gave her one more smile before moving towards the desk and picking up a canister, a little gauze, and a small penknife. "Here. Instead of your hand, try your foot. Less chance they'll ask questions."

"You really thought about this," Maka murmured as she took the knife from him before letting a small laugh tumble from her lips. "Actually, what am I saying, you overthink everything. I guess that hasn't changed."

"Not much has." His hand had lingered near hers and his fingertips brushed her wrist before he brought them back to tightly holding the canister. "Just make sure you're leaving it on the right place on the sheets. Like you've been laying there."

"Right," she nodded with surety she didn't necessarily have. Maka moved to the bed, laying down to carefully measure the right distance and for a moment she could picture it, him hovering over her with his chest firmly pressed to hers just like the night before. She flushed and sat up quickly. It would be a regrettable spot, something that would remind her with a pinprick of pain for the next few days, but she reached the penknife between the webbing of her last two toes and sliced. She let the blood well up until there was enough and she dabbed it to the sheets. "Is this enough?"

"Looks fine," he said quickly before offering her the gauze. She took it and slid it between her toes. He then offered her a hand and pulled her off the bed before taking it back to open the canister.

"What's that?" Maka tried to peer over his shoulder.

"Uh," his voice wanted to fade away as he cleared his throat. "Technically, glue, but when it dries they probably won't be able to tell the difference between that and… you know."

This was something Maka could actually giggle at and she let it free her for just a moment.

"Please don't ask how I know," he grumbled.

"I thought you weren't supposed to keep secrets from your wife," the words were a carefree tease but they came with a flutter in her stomach especially when the color started to stain his cheeks.

Soul was silent, just dipping his finger into the canister and splattering it over the red on the sheets. "There." He closed the lid and tucked it under the mattress before rubbing his hands together, the residual glue drying and flaking away. "Now we just have to wait."

"For what?" Maka sat back on the bed away from their artwork, staring up at him as she played with the tip of gauze between her toes.

"Pretty sure it's embarrassing if it's over that quickly," he laughed roughly.

"Oh," Maka produced a short laugh to punctuate.

He shuffled his feet for a moment. "Do you mind if I get changed?"

"No," the word blurted from her mouth.

Soul walked over to the bureau, pulling out new pants and a shirt even though his normal was never to wear one to bed. _But tonight's about her comfort. Seeing me like that might…_ He sighed as he started the task of unbuttoning the absurdly long robe with his back to her.

"I forgot to ask you," Maka started slowly but the ease was building back into her voice. "Did your wound actually reopen yesterday?"

Soul's fingers quickened as he debated the question in his head. _What good does lying do? But telling her the truth…_ He let a sick laugh come from his mouth. _It's not as if she can leave now. She's trapped whether she knows the ugly truth or not._ "If I lose control, it leaks but closes back up quickly. You can't tell today." He shrugged the robe off his shoulders and let it flutter to the floor, his eyes tempted to look to verify his claims but he focused instead on dropping his pants and reaching for the new ones.

There was a pause long enough for him to get his bottom half covered, just reaching his fingers for the new shirt. "Can I see it?"

Soul froze, his fingers clutching tightly into the fabric. "You're sure?"

"It can't be worse than… when I saw it happen," she murmured.

He was dying to ask the question, to tear all the information he could from her on that moment but he resisted. _I should remember that on my own. That already sounded so painful for her to say, so making her relive that day more than she's about to right now… I can't be that horrible._ Soul turned, relieved to see her staring intently at her hands in her lap rather than waiting for him. He needed a few more breaths before he could even hope to be able to look in her eyes. Those breaths were pulled in achingly slow as he moved back to the bed, taking a seat next to her.

As the bed creaked beneath his weight, Maka moved her eyes to his chest. Her breath caught in her throat no matter how much she willed it otherwise. _Maybe it's not worse, but it's the same. Because looking at it now reminds me, makes me know how foolish I was, how foolish he was._ Her fingers quivered in the air between them before barely touching the start of the scar next to the crease of his armpit. _This is the price you pay. This is what you earn when you-_

"I'm sorry," he muttered as he grabbed her hand and pressed it into the flesh.

That broke the spell in her mind, causing her eyes to flutter up to his. "What?"

"When you look at it, it hurts you. So, I'm sorry," he repeated with a blankness to his face that Maka knew too well. This was his usual ploy, direct words while hiding his real feelings underneath a mask. Maybe this was the part that she had hoped wouldn't come back to him.

"You think that's your fault?" she pressed.

"Nobody else's it could be," he muttered.

 _It's mine,_ she wanted to scream. "You still don't remember anything from that day?"

Soul shook his head slowly, "It's the cloudiest. Could be that's still me getting back to normal but I'm thinking that maybe a part of me doesn't want to remember." He pulled her hand away and placed it gently back in her lap. "I think we took enough time."

"Alright…" Maka's eyes fell to her fingers, her mind lingering over the wonderful feeling of his skin under them tempered by the despair of her memories. She was sure nothing could break her from the pain of those thoughts, but as his hand grasped at her chin, holding her in place so that his lips could brush her cheek, everything in the rest of the world faded away.

It was gone as quickly as it came, but the residuals of it would linger on her for the rest of the night especially as he did nothing but make her heart race further as he whispered, "Don't think about it right now. When I remember, we'll talk but before then, don't. I know you said I can't order you to do anything but I think I am. Tonight, you're just supposed to be happy. So don't." She watched him swallow, hesitate, and then stand quickly.

Without another glance at her, he swiftly moved for the door, disappearing again. Attendants flooded in, gently plucking her from the bed so that it could be cleaned, the proper stares and whispers garnered by the art they'd left on the sheets. The spell only broke when she felt Liz's soft touch on her arm and her whisper next to her ear. "Come on. Your sweet prince has a few things planned for you."

* * *

Souls orders, whispered in Black Star's ear, had been as follows:

First, draw her a bath. She'd taken a liking to jasmine, that was obvious from the gorgeous way it filled the room when she was near, but honeysuckle should be gathered from the forest to toss amongst it.

Then, go to the library and grab a few books. There should be poetry, not necessarily the sappy romance but nothing epic and long. Also, a few history texts since that was what he remembered her reading the most.

Next, have chamomile tea ready after her soak. Make sure it has a dollop of honey in it or she won't drink it.

Finally, leave her the following note: _If you need me, I'll be in the music room._

He should have known Black Star would forget the note, but it was just as well since his handwriting was even worse.


	11. Chapter 11

Maka read the entire poetry book as she sipped through her tea. It wasn't beyond her to notice that she'd spent the whole time touching her cheek, the ghost of his lips often distracting her from a line. Really, it wasn't just that, it was the entirety of the night that had been bewildering because while her mind had set her up with panic and anxiety, there was no place for it to hold. He hadn't forced her to undress, to rush through motions that she still wasn't entirely sure of, and instead reminded her at every turn how much he _knew_ her.

Maybe that was the first hurdle: to accept that Soul was ultimately still the boy she'd known, just with broader shoulders and added height. And that obstacle was the hardest for her to overcome. _Because didn't I come here knowing he hadn't given a moment's thought to me in five years? I was sure he'd see my face and laugh, let me be tossed out of the contest, remind me that all my happy memories were really just dreams._ Even if she crushed that feeling there was more strangling her, bringing her down because, ultimately, she wasn't supposed to have gotten this far. This had been her final fantasy, the most impossible of all, and living it felt inconceivable.

After she finished the text and her tea, Maka slid down in the sheets. She was suddenly and embarrassingly aware that this was his side of the bed since the mattress had sunken to fit him but more so because that delightful woodsy smell of him was deeply ingrained into the pillow. Because there was no way for him to catch her, Maka enjoyed it by letting her cheek rub against the fabric. This was how he had always smelled and it fueled the memories of the two of them together, the stolen hugs or other moments of what she always told herself was improper closeness.

As time continued to tick by her eyelids started to droop and she rolled to the other side of the bed to hide her shame of enjoying him. At first, she'd assumed the lump was just the fact that the other side of the mattress was obviously not broken in but as she tried to settle the more it dug into her. Maka lit the candle again, slipped out of bed and settled on the floor before feeling under the mattress. She was instantly rewarded with a poorly bound book that looked more like a mess of pages banded together. Without any thoughts against the idea, she opened it.

Each page was a litter of letters, but most surprising was her name on the very first page, tucked away in the corner almost as if it were an afterthought. It was dated a few days after the accident. _All he remembered was my name? Just my name? Not all our years together, the things we did, how it ended, just my name?_ She brazenly continued to flip through pages, details about his life, his brother, Black Star, even the kitchen girls each had their names a few times but always hers missing on every page. Dates zoomed by but Maka was still a singular blip, a tiny corner that he'd left behind.

She wanted to close the book. In a way, she cursed herself for finding it and him for creating it because it only seemed to verify exactly what she'd thought: _He doesn't know me. I don't matter. I was just some girl, just a name on a page._ Her heart threatened to break, but she pushed forward, in a way trying to make it happen, to pop the bubble of this illusion.

Instead, there was her face staring back at her. The charcoal was smudged and overworked, obviously an attempt at perfecting the image, but it was a very close likeness. The date was the first of the competition, his first view of her in five years. And while she might have imagined biting teasing, words of disdain, the rest of the margins were filled with every observation, the bottom of the page emboldened with ' _I know her.'_ It was then that the tears started but Maka barely noticed them.

Every day after came with another drawing of her likeness and every single memory that had come back to him about her. The tea was there, the books, and things he hadn't admitted to remembering like the day one of the barn lofts had cracked under their feet and he'd grabbed her and took the weight of the fall. It was the first time they'd been pressed together so close, her body on top of his and it had apparently been a terrifying realization for him that even with the agony of having the wind knocked out of him he'd do it a million times more if he could.

Then she saw it, the most frightening of all words: love.

" _I asked Black Star if he knew how I felt about her and that's when he gave me the gift I had made for her years ago, the honeysuckle hairpin. I don't know what it means and it's killing me. I know I need to give it to her but how do I make sure she knows that even if it was his gift that I think I want to feel the same way about her? Is that fair? That I don't know for sure, but even if he didn't, I do want to love her."_

She hiccuped through a sob as she turned the page.

It was a beautiful sketch of her with the pin in her hair and he had somehow recreated the smile that she'd been hiding for most of the time she'd been there as if that was something he'd remembered on his own too. " _I remembered! I did it all on my own and I know that it's the truth: I loved her. And I don't even want to put it in the past tense. The only problem is somehow that hurts her. I wonder if I did something. If there's more I'm just stupidly not remembering. Damn it."_

Maka shook her head sharply. _Again, not something you did. It was me. It was all my fault._

Another few pages of much of the same, and while she thought ' _love'_ was the word that would bring her the most fear it was the last page he'd written, the one after yesterday's argument that made her heart feel cold and brittle. " _I still can't stop worrying. I love her, I need to keep her safe, and the idea she could get hurt or even_ _ **die**_ _is tearing me up inside. I'd do anything to make sure nothing happens to her. I would rather die. I'd die to keep her safe."_

She shut the book, hugged it to her chest, and prayed out a thousand little ' _no's_.

* * *

A part of him had hoped she would have visited him, but as he snuck back through the dark corridors he couldn't blame her. Soul was exhausted as well but had pushed himself to play long enough to give her the time and space she might need. Maybe he needed time as well, especially to try to urge his memory forward, to bring forth a clear reason why her face looked so utterly destroyed when she placed her hand on his scar. He was only partially comforted by the fact that Maka had seemed reassured by his order, and even more so after he dared to kiss her cheek.

With each step closer to the room, he replayed that moment. There was no measure for how much he wanted that to have continued, for his lips to travel wherever she would have allowed them because that was part of his promise. It was actions that were going to show her that he loved her, and he was hopeful that tonight he had given her the clear message: _When I do touch you, I want you to want it. It's not just my duty, it's not just because of this stupid pact for an heir, it's because I want you to be happy. I want us to be happy._

His eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness as he shut the door softly behind him. She was curled in the bed, thankfully facing towards him so he could steal glances at her sleeping face. His first urge was to wake her but that would only be for his comfort, not hers, so he left it. He slipped out of his shirt purely because of habit, tossing it on the floor in the darkness. With all the care in the world he eased onto the bed, trying his best not to disturb her. Now that he was close enough, his head on the pillow next to hers, the dried tears on her cheeks were obvious.

It was easy to curse under his breath, to imagine the reasons why, but instead he tilted his chin, letting his lips come to her forehead while he urged in his head, _I'm sorry._ Even that soft touch didn't wake her, so he curled closer, moving his arm around her. Holding her felt like a blessing, that knot easing in his chest as she didn't struggle or even seem to wake. Even with the mystery of her tears teasing in his head, Soul fell asleep quickly as he counted her breaths against his neck.

* * *

The knock woke her, but it was her cheek pressed against his bare chest that sprung her to life. Maka's head jutted back only to find Soul's arm tight around her shoulder and allowing for no more movement. She tilted her head up, her nose almost grazing his chin as her voice warbled, "Soul?"

"Too early," he grumbled. His hand slipped along her shoulder but hesitated at her hair, surprising her by coiling and digging in towards the back of her neck.

The knock started again.

"Fuck," Soul groaned as his fingers left her and he somehow untangled himself from her immediately, leaving Maka in want of warmth and an explanation. He rattled the door on the hinges as he opened it with a forceful annoyance.

"Morning," Black Star was cooing and Maka was thankful that Soul was still blocking the door. "How was it?"

"Shut up," Soul muttered.

"The servant girls are all mouths this morning," Black Star cackled.

"Is this important?" Soul shot back.

"What, did I interrupt? Morning after, too?" The scuffle started and Maka wanted to raise her head to see it but was afraid to leave the safety of hiding in the blankets.

After another string of curses and what Maka could only assume was more jostling between the two of them, Soul spat, "Just why the hell did you wake me up?"

"Your mother wants to see you. Now," Black Star cut the laughter.

"Just me?"

"Definitely."

"Fuck," he muttered. "Give me a few minutes."

"Oh, take your time," Black Star sang back but it was cut off by the slam of the door.

Soul stomped back towards the bed, picking up his shirt off the floor and angrily wrenching it into place over his head. "I don't know what the _fuck_ she's planning but I'm sure I'm not in the mood."

Maka finally sat up, her hands smoothing over her nightgown and her hair. "You weren't lying when you said you didn't like to wake up."

While he had been in the middle of running his hands agitatedly through his hair it stopped, a smooth laugh bubbling from his throat. For the moment he was back, not a hint of unruliness as he moved back towards the bed. "Look, you don't have to come."

"It didn't sound like I was invited," Maka shrugged.

"Which means it's probably something about you," he sighed back.

Maka smiled softly, "Well, I know you'll be smart about it. I guess just don't promise them a second heir since we, well…"

"Yeah," he laughed tensely. "We can… talk about that tonight."

"Tonight," Maka nodded. "Soul… what you did last night…"

"Yeah?" He was holding his breath.

"It was nice, but…"

That sent an icicle through his heart. "But?"

"Maybe it's safer not to show me any particular regard." Her voice wasn't a murmur but a steady order.

"What?" He laughed at the ridiculousness especially as she couldn't hide the different message in her eyes, because while she was trying to make it look like a soft study of his reaction, Soul could see the tears she was trying to hold back.

"Just… try, Soul," she sent back sharply as she turned from him, her legs dangling over the other side of the bed.

' _No!'_ was what he wanted to scream but the knock came again and he could only manage a terse, "We'll talk tonight."

"Of course." Once the door slammed behind her Maka let out a shaky breath. _You're just doing it all over again. You're pushing because you're scared. You're going to try to fight him tooth and nail but what good are you doing?_ But those last lines in the book flashed back in her mind and the determination settled again. _I'm going to protect him, too._

"Princess," Liz cooed happily as she opened the door just in time for Maka to flush the other thoughts from her face and adopt a smile. "Are you ready for the day?"

"She must be tired," another of the girls teased, flashing Liz a grin.

"Be careful," Liz hissed back.

"What, she's one of us, aren't you, princess?" A second girl offered as she raised her eyebrows at Maka.

Maka resisted the urge to bite at her lip and instead pressed forward a smile. "I grew up doing exactly as you did. I was just lucky Lady Marie took a liking to me." That was partially a lie, but Maka liked the fit of it, the way it brought her back to reality instead of the fantasy of being Soul's princess.

"See?" the girl offered.

Liz narrowed her eyebrows with a sour pucker to her lips before she pressed the other two girls to start jobs around the room. As she reached into the bureau to grab Maka's dress for the day, the voices continued.

"Princess, how was it?"

"Hush," Liz balked, even though it was the expected morning after gossip.

"He was gentle." Maka could claim that without a front since that had been the entirety of her night and her experience with him. Her mind followed with the admonishment _because all of his touches and actions speak of the love you're so desperately avoiding._

"Oh," the girls cooed.

"That's enough," Liz snapped as she turned back to Maka and placed the dress on the bed next to her.

"It's alright, Liz," Maka's smile was less convincing this time and the taller blond adopted a disapproving glare with the other girls.

This seemed to go completely unnoticed as the one kneeling at Maka's feet to place her shoes continued, "Probably because of the consorts, you know? They're always so dainty about how they're touched. He's been trained well."

"Consorts?" The word felt alien on her tongue but Maka knew the meaning.

"His father keeps so many," the girl shrugged as she blinked up at Maka. "I guess you'd have to assume he'd used one or two and with the way he and his captain of the guard run around…" She turned her face to a seething Liz. "You were in the kitchens, Liz. I heard that's where they were most often wrangling skirts."

"Absolutely not," Liz spat back. "His captain, maybe, but the prince?"

The other two twittered with laughter, "I really did think his reputation was well known."

"What reputation?" Maka murmured.

"That he's more than gentle," the other laughed.

But the first girl picked up again quickly, "But that's not for you to worry about, princess. He's taken with you. I'm sure there'll be no need for that anymore for him."

"Get out," Liz snapped quickly.

"But, Liz-"

"Out," she repeated, stomping her foot childishly for emphasis but having no power to stop herself from doing it. She'd watched the color drain from Maka's face and while this wasn't necessarily a partnership out of friendship, Liz hadn't lied when she said she wanted to be on this girl's side. As soon as the other two had scurried off, Liz bravely put her hands to Maka's shoulders. "Please, don't listen to them."

"I'm sure it's just gossip," Maka said softly before turning her face to Liz, a weak smile pulling at her lips. "I wonder what they say about me if that's what they spread about him."

"Please," Liz urged again as she dropped lower, moving to grasp Maka's hands. "He never acted inappropriately in the kitchens and the consorts-"

"Are none of my business," Maka shrugged uneasily as she pulled her hands away from Liz's grasp. "Anyway, it's not as if this was some runaway romance. He has a duty to me and I have a duty to him. And right now I think I should get that started. Wasn't there something with, oh, the ladies of the court or something that I was supposed to attend?"

"You were invited to the court ladies' mid-morning tea," Liz sighed at the ridiculousness, happy that Maka echoed her. "To speak plainly, that sounds awful."

"It will be," Maka offered a short laugh. "And… I think _you_ might be the only person I want speaking plainly. Is there a way you can get rid of those girls?"

"Oh, thank you," Liz gushed. "They're gone. I'll steal two of the naive, quiet kitchen girls who will actually listen when I tell them to stop."

Maka shook her head, "I don't think I need so many attendants. I am very capable of dressing myself and it just feels… a little too grand."

"You really were a common girl, weren't you?" Liz mused. "Speaking of dressing, look at what the prince had made for you. Functional, but…" She lifted the hem and displayed intricate embroidery. "Still fitting of a princess."

She stared at it, letting her finger trail the fine threads. "He does too much."

"To talk plainly again," Liz warned. "Would you let him? This is the first time I've ever seen him… I don't know how to describe it. It's not so much that now suddenly he cares about something, since he's proven he's fond of us and he obviously is inseparable from Black Star, but maybe…" Liz pondered this for a second and Maka found herself hanging on the edge of her seat no matter what her rational mind was ordering her. "You said duty, but this might be the first time I think he's doing more than just what duty, what life dictates. He wants something. It's nice to see that. So could you humor him, even if maybe you don't-"

"Discussing my feelings for him might be a step too far," Maka forced the order from her mouth even though her heart was still aching for it.

"Of course," Liz nodded with a sigh. "Let's just get you dressed."

Maka gave in to Liz's primping, leaving far too much energy for her mind to continue to churn over the same idea over and over. _I need to protect him. Even if it's protecting him from me._


	12. Chapter 12

Against all better judgment, Soul allowed Black Star to tear him away at the end of dinner. It wasn't going to make matters any better, he knew that, but, honestly, he saw no way that it could make it all that much worse. When he had gone to pick Maka up early from the lady's mid-morning tea, a horrible bore he was sure, he got nothing but a pert dismissal. Sure, there was a smile attached to it, but there was none of the joy of it in her eyes and she ultimately politely ordered him to leave until it was done. Even when he returned, she was just urging them on to the next post-wedding social engagement.

While he was sure all this was necessary, everything about her today felt forced, especially those words that had echoed through his head all morning. _What the hell does she mean by 'particular regard' and how, or better yet, **why** the fuck am I going to do that? _Each moment with her after that just heated those thoughts, making his head broil and his gut churn. So, by the time dinner was over, he couldn't actually create an argument against it and he and Black Star slipped away.

As usual, the two of them existed in silence long enough to drain a third of the skin. Black Star finally broke it with an annoyed sigh, "Please tell me that you didn't get in a fight on your first day of married life."

"Fuck if I know," Soul spat back.

Black Star grimaced, "Well, you showed her a good time last night, right?"

Soul stared blankly at Black Star before taking another long swig.

"Are you serious?" Black Star barely kept his voice from shrieking. "All that romantic bullshit and you, what? Held hands until you fell asleep?"

"Keep your voice down," Soul grumbled. "I didn't want to push her. She seemed scared."

Black Star let out a feral groan, "So now she's mad at you for _not_?"

"No," Soul let out an achingly long sigh. "I can't figure it out. I felt like we were so close to just getting back to where we were. Being in love. But now, all of a sudden, it's like she's turned it off. I even tried to say it to her and she stopped me."

"Whoa, like flat out ' _I love you'_?" Black Star took the skin back and washed the words from his mouth.

"Pretty much," Soul sighed. "I thought maybe it was because we weren't married yet and I guess I was going to try again if she came to the music room but she never showed last night."

"Ah," Black Star croaked. "So, maybe I forgot that part."

Soul narrowed his eyes at him. "She didn't know where I went?"

"Nope," Black Star grinned before taking another sip, shielding him from any abuse with the precious wine in the way.

Soul sighed, "I don't even know if it would have made a difference. She-"

His words were cut by the sharp footfalls up the stairs behind them and both boys sat frozen. Soul almost expected his angry blond to come through the door but instead, it was a taller, lankier version. "Here's where you idiots are," Liz hissed.

"Be careful of how you speak to me," Black Star threatened the wine in her direction only to have it snatched away.

"How drunk are you?" She brandished the skin towards Soul.

"Not much," Soul grumbled dumbfoundedly.

"Good, then get to your room. Your bride is borderline in tears and I _swear_ if you ruin this!" She threw the wineskin over the edge of the parapet, leaving Black Star groaning as Soul slowly got to his feet.

"Does she even want to see me?" Soul spat at Liz. "She's been-"

"I don't care," Liz rolled her eyes. "And of course she wants to see you. Even though she gave me the damn line that she doesn't want to talk about how she feels about you anyone can tell. Something is going on, though, and it's your damn job to figure it out, not me."

Soul sighed and Liz reflexively smacked Black Star on the back of his head. "Hey, I didn't do anything," Black Star yelled at her.

"Well, I can't hit him, so you're getting it instead." Liz planted her arms at her waist before staring at Soul again. "Well? Get going!"

* * *

Maka had stifled any more tears by the time she'd heard the door open. "You were drinking with that idiot, weren't you?"

Soul was helpless against snorting a laugh. "You're getting good at sounding like a nagging wife."

That did it, making those jade eyes burn as she rolled over in the bed to give the wall attention that it didn't deserve.

"I had a few," Soul murmured as he moved towards the bed. "And that was because I knew…" Instead of laughing at himself which should be customary, he found a soft sigh breaking his lips as his eyes followed the bare skin of her shoulder blade.

"That it would make me angry?" she offered haughtily.

"I knew I'd only be able to ask you this if I did." He hoped the words didn't sound half as panicked as they made him feel.

A pause, a good sign since he'd learned that if Maka was really cross there was no stopping words from gushing forth. "Ask me what?"

"If you'd let me," he cleared his throat as he just rested his hand on her arm. She allowed it, not moving away and for a moment he was hopeful there would be another memory with it but he urged himself back to the task at hand. "I want to touch you."

"You are," Maka corrected.

The color was blossoming on his neck and he was sure he would never be able to swallow again, his mouth arid. "Like a man should touch a woman."

"You are a man, I am a woman, and you are touching me." Her voice was now as tight as her shoulders and he felt all of this slipping from his grasp.

"Like a husband should touch a wife." He was infinitely glad that she was staying rolled away so she could miss the bright blush that was burning brighter than any bonfire.

"You… are my husband," whatever annoyance in her voice seemed to be dissolving but he didn't like what was leftover, a tender fear. "Asking me, isn't that just useless?"

"No," Soul let his hand fall slightly firmer on her arm. "I don't want you to think I expect those things and even now… all I'm asking is the opportunity to touch just you. You don't even have to think about me."

The pause after stretched into eternity until a whisper came back. "Then why bother?"

Soul sighed as he eased his fingers down her arm. "Because I think I… want you to be happy."

Another intermission for her thoughts until she found the right ones to be angry about. "And then after you'll go to the consorts and have your fill."

He laughed sharply, "Is that what the rumors are? That I visit _my father's_ whores?"

"A man doesn't give without expecting to get," she snapped back sharply.

"Maka, have I been a man like that?" Soul was actually pleased to hear no immediate resounding answer, instead peeking over her shoulder to see her finger tracing a line in the sheets. "After, I'll just… I can take care of it myself."

"I still don't understand why," she murmured.

"If what I said isn't enough for you then say no." He tried to temper the temper in his voice with his hand again running along her arm, this time producing a healthy trail of goosebumps.

Suddenly, she was sitting up, still facing away from him and Soul was sure he'd ruined it all. She was either going to turn and belt him or simply get up and leave, both of them now perfectly acceptable reactions to his current behavior. _Because what have you fixed by asking her for this? What is having sex with her really going to do if she won't unlock her damn heart?_

Instead, she sat still for a moment as she strangely played with the ends of her hair. Maka let a hand drift from there to her side and Soul held his breath and she lifted her arm, leaving room to pull the side ties of her dressing gown apart. She repeated it on the other side before simply upending the fabric over her head. Her back was lily-white and while he wanted to touch it, to use his fingers to connect a few errant freckles he'd already noticed on her skin, he stayed still.

Without looking at him, she lay back on her side. The next question trembled off her tongue, "I can ask you to stop if I want?"

"Yes," he tried not to allow any of the building excitement to add to the word.

"Alright then," that whisper quivered from her throat but the rest of her remained eerily still.

Soul moved his hand to her shoulder, pulling aside the honey-blond hair and letting it decorate the pillow beneath her head. He made a fool of himself in his head as he took another moment to run his fingers through her hair, validating the softness that he'd considered before in idle moments. "You're beautiful," he murmured.

"You don't have to do that," she snapped.

He tried to make it sound like he was clearing his throat but he could hear it for the growl it was. "Why do you seem even more guarded now that we're married?"

"What?" Her head turned over her shoulder, blinking at him.

Soul tried to bite it back but the words just rolled off his tongue, "Is it something I don't remember? Or was last night all wrong? I was trying to make you comfortable."

Her nostrils flared with a few desperate breaths before she opened her mouth, "Where did you go when you left?"

His forehead wrinkled at the question. "Where I always do, to play. I had told Black Star to leave you a note that was where I'd be but he forgot. I took longer than normal because I wanted to give you time to - _I don't know_ \- settle in. Where do you think I went?"

Maka bit her lip, ready to leave it until his hand clutched her chin, forcing her eyes to his. "The maids were talking this morning…"

"About what exactly?" he snapped.

His anger bled to her and she sent the words out like venom, "How is it that they all seem to know you're such a good lover?"

Soul couldn't catch the bray of laughter from his lips, "Me?"

The tears were starting in her eyes as the words shot off her lips, "Oh, they had a lot to say since it was safe because I was just like them, a common girl, not some dainty lady-"

Soul pressed her chin to shut her mouth and muffle the rest. "Tomorrow, you ask Black Star. He'll love the chance to embarrass me and rat me out that _you_ were the first girl I even held hands with." He let a rueful laugh leave his mouth, "As far as I know, I haven't even _kissed_ a girl and you can't even imagine how fucking scared I was just now even pretending that I know the first thing about touching you. I mean, I started with your _hair_ for fuck's sake. What moron thinks that touching a girl's hair would make her feel good?"

The tirade had kept him from focusing on her face but as he sucked in another breath to continue on in his self-deprecation he saw the blush on her cheeks, the now not so tight draw in her lips. "It felt nice… and you…"

"And what?" He asked back breathlessly as he loosened his grip on her chin and let his hand slide down to cup her neck.

A warbling sigh left her lips as she rolled over, just barely clutching the sheet as a barrier between them. "Could you look at me and try to remember?"

"Try to remember what?" he asked dumbly.

"Soul…" She groaned as her eyes looked up at him, pleading.

He stared, examining her face and trying to find the secrets hidden in the contours of her lips, the gentle arch of her eyebrows. Instead, a frustrated groan left his throat, "Maka, I'm sorry. Nothing's there. If it's the past, if I hurt you then or if I hurt you now I'm sorry, but I-"

The words had no choice but to stop as her lips clamped over his. Her hands refused to touch him, just her mouth lingering on his but he didn't need it, her breath enough to jump-start his mind.

" _Why are you rushing me?" Maka grumbled. "We're leaving the rest of them behind and they have the picnic basket. I bet you're thinking with that overactive stomach of yours. We're not going to get the food any faster by getting to the clearing first."_

_Soul wasn't relinquishing his hold or his pace, just pulling her forward so that the trail was far behind them along with the rest of the group. His mind was racing and his heart was threatening to jump out of his throat. He knew his hands were clammy and it was a blessing she hadn't called him out on it and taken her delicate fingers away. All he needed was a few more feet, getting her to the other edge of the clearing so that the trees there could give him at least an extra moment's worth of privacy._

" _And now we're leaving the glen? Where are you taking me?" Her impatience was started to give way to amusement and a delightful laugh from her lips sent a chill up his spine. Just as they'd passed the first large tree he turned, catching her in the easy collision course she had taken since she was not expecting the stop. He caught her at the waist, pressing her back against the trunk and his body to hers. "Soul," she barely breathed out as her eyes widened._

" _Maka, I…" One hand trembled up to her cheek and back into her hair, guiding her lips to his. It was delicate as could be since he feared clashing teeth or knocking noses and he was sure it would only last a second, just long enough for her to realize his idiocy and give him the wallop he expected. Instead, her hands came to his waist, locking him in place as she threw away all hesitation, stealing the kiss from him and making it her own._

Before he could leach anymore, Maka pulled away from him but even without her lips he was buzzing with excitement. "I kissed you!" His laugh was joyful and almost awestruck until he opened up his eyes to see the tears streaming down her cheeks. "Hey, Maka, don't," he murmured as he moved his fingers to clear them. "I remember, I brought you to the edge of that glen because I wanted to kiss you so badly and I was going to tell you-"

"But you don't remember what happened after that?" her voice trembled.

"We kissed, _you_ kissed me back, and I was so happy, Maka, you have no idea," his laugh was still guarded as another wave of tears leaked from her eyes.

"We were interrupted," Maka murmured.

None of it came back to mind, his focus too keen on clearing her face. "Is that… when it happened?"

Maka took in a trembling breath. "Of course it did, because I-"

"Are you trying to say it was your fault?" He dared to touch her cheeks again to clear the tears away.

"Soul," she warbled as she pushed his hand aside.

"Maka, that's ridiculous," he shook his head slightly. "No matter what happened it wasn't _you_ with a sword, so it couldn't be your fault."

"It might as well have been," she spat.

Soul forced his hand back to her face, sighing as she still struggled against him. He let the fight linger for a moment before he rolled away from her, sitting up on the edge of the bed. "If I remember, am I going to be able to convince you?" he spat to the floor. "Or am I just going to get pushed away no matter what I do?"

"What?" Maka shuffled with the sheets, clutching them to her chest as she sat up in bed.

He couldn't stop the rueful whisper, "Why do you want me to love you but at the same time don't? I married you and there was duty there, sure, but we both know that's not why I chose you. I've still promised you forever. So is it me? Is it what I am now? Is it because somehow I can't be him even though, for fuck's sake, he is me?"

"It's not you," she said softly as her fingers grazed his back. "It's that love is only good for making rash, stupid decisions and I don't want to put either of us at risk especially since everything is so dangerous right now as it is."

Soul scoffed, "So, what? Just indefinitely hold off on falling in love because we've got a job to do? How long is that going to be?"

"Soul-"

"No," he urged, breaking any hope of her continuing, "Because _you_ make way too quick decisions even without being in love. That's you. We both know that 'pregnant in a year' promise wasn't because you loved me. You were making sure you were Queen, following your first objective."

Her lips pressed into a line, "It wasn't my _first_ objective, just _one of_."

"Leave it to you to be pissed about the words I use in the middle of an argument," he sighed.

A little bit of fire was starting in her eyes, zapping away the tears. "I don't like that you're making it sound like I _just_ married you to be Queen."

"I know that's not the only reason," Soul grumbled back, "but it sure as hell feels like the main one."

"Do you really think I came each night to the music room just to be Queen? Or what about touching me? Getting your memories back could have backfired because I could have been reminding you how little you cared for me but I did that because I wanted you to have them. I wanted you to feel whole, to be better." Her hand was no longer a soft touch but a jab at his spine. "And Medusa! I was willing to risk _everything_ , this entire mission, get myself kicked out of the competition altogether because I thought she was killing you and I'd rather be sent away, worse, _dead_ , than let you suffer."

He shot his head over his shoulder, finally looking at her with blazing eyes. "Then tell me you love me."

Her lip trembled but held tight.

"Tell me," he urged again. "Because I loved you then-"

"Soul," she pleaded.

"And I love you now," he finished desperately. "But if you can't admit that you love me, then maybe you should put your clothes on."

Her fingers were clenched so tightly that they were as white as the sheet. "What?"

Soul brought his eyes back to his lap, focused on his fingers. "I will do my duty. You have to have a child, I know that, and I will do what has to be done, but what I was promising right now, what I wanted to happen between us tonight, that can't happen if you can't admit, if you won't." He got up quickly, his hands balling into fists at his side. "I'm going to go play. If you don't trust me, you can follow but unless you have something to say to me, don't stay."


	13. Chapter 13

Each night it was the same routine. Soul would offer because, as always, he was good to his word. They had a duty. Maka would hesitantly accept but the knot would start to wind as soon as she slipped into bed with him. It would tighten as she risked looking into his eyes, seeing the fight in his own mind. She would kiss him again and taste it, the forlorn fury of wanting to love her. The last straw would be as soon as her hand met skin because no matter how much she tried to push against it and block it out, his soul would scream at her.

Every night would end with her pushing him away and turning over just in time to hide her tears in her pillow. To make matters worse, he stopped leaving since he'd usually play before seeing her now as if he needed to in order to keep up this farce. Instead, he would lay next to her and let his fingers gently run down her back, soothing the tears he wasn't supposed to see.

* * *

"Maka, you have to get up."

Maka's eyes shot open to see Soul leaning over her, not in bed and dressed out of the ordinary in an embroidered jacket. "What's going on?"

Soul shrugged as he started for the door. "Not sure yet. Black Star came early. There's a meeting of the war council we weren't supposed to know about. Thought we should crash."

"Smart," Maka murmured as she sat up. "But why even have a war council meeting? Technically, nothing is supposed to be happening here."

He opened the bedroom door, ushering Liz in. "Kind of curious about that myself. So we'll find out. Hey, Liz."

"Good morning, prince," Liz left a half-hearted smile for him before moving to grab Maka's clothes.

Soul sighed at the look before pausing at the door. "I'll wait for you outside."

"Thank you." It was terrifying now to lock eyes with him because they always spoke the same line but she did anyway, reading it and letting her heart tremble in her chest.

"Both of you are stubborn," Liz spat as she took out one of the finer dresses from the collection that Soul had gifted to Maka.

"Liz," Maka sighed.

"No, I know you told me not to talk about it but I think at this point I'd rather be beheaded than deal with those looks passing between the two of you," she huffed in reply as she started to unwind the ties of Maka's nightgown.

"It's not a good idea for us to be in love," Maka repeated the line that was often running in her head with a frankness that instantly brought a sigh from Liz.

"So you'll deny how _both_ of you feel just for what? The chance that it'll make whatever this mission is easier?" One cloth was displaced for the other but Liz was still clearly stuck on her first idea. "Your married. People are going to be after you for that whether it's obvious you love him or not. People will hurt him whether it's obvious you love him or not."

"Liz," Maka tried to insist but it fell on deaf ears.

"The only thing you're doing is giving you both the chance to die miserable," Liz urged as she cinched the waist of Maka's gown, making her unable to bring in any air.

"I can't…" Maka murmured as she pressed her fingers to her eyes to keep the tears from falling. _I can't watch him die again just because he loves me._

Liz sighed, "I think you need to remember how powerful you are. The courage that you have. This wedding may have thrown that off, made you forget what you are, but I seem to remember a rumor that you said you were a warrior first."

Maka blinked helplessly at her for a moment.

"Find that again," Liz nodded surely at her before slipping the hairpin into Maka's hair. "And wear this. The way he looks at you when you wear it… maybe it'll bring him a little comfort."

"The opposite," Maka murmured as she touched the fine filigree but left it.

"Go, he's waiting," Liz pressed a hand to Maka's back and she moved as ordered. Time slowed for each one of her steps and when she finally made it to the door it halted as soon as his hand touched her arm.

"You alright?" he murmured.

Maka was searching for her voice, her courage, all of it but it was buried and she could just pull at frayed edges. Worse, in her weakness, the only thing her heart was asking for was the one that felt so far away. "Say what you were thinking," she whispered back as she clutched tightly to his elbow.

He raised his eyebrows, "I did. I thought maybe you'd been crying."

 _Thank you for leaving off the 'again_ ,' Maka sighed. "Before that, when I first walked out."

"Maka," he huffed as his jaw worked.

"Please." She was surprised by how little it sounded like begging but an order and for a moment maybe she was holding on to more than just an edge.

Even with the comfort of the words all he could offer was a frown, "I was happy that you were wearing that again." He motioned towards her hair. "That's all. It doesn't make the fact that you're almost crying again any better."

"No, but I wanted to hear it," Maka offered him a small smile.

A hybrid sound, a mixture of a sigh and a helpless groan rumbled up from his chest and Soul's eyes trailed from her to the floor. "We should get going."

"Absolutely." Maka's grip was firm on his elbow as Soul led her through the corridors. With each turn, she was forcing it all to come back to her, trying to focus on finding where she'd buried away the girl she used to be, the one she now knew he loved.

* * *

"My prince!" was the echoed reaction around the table as Soul slammed through the door without the ceremony of being announced. These were all faces that at best were vaguely recognized but mostly drew blanks from his mind and not because of his forgotten past. He'd never been privy to these meetings even though he was fairly sure his brother had attended most when he was alive. Really, his father never even bothered so it was mostly expected that Soul would follow suit but that was impossible now. Not with her on his arm.

 _Should I even let myself feel hopeful that she seems… a little better this morning? Or am I trying too hard?_ He resisted a sigh but not the opportunity to glance at her, seeing that sure smile still plastered on her face. _A little better_ , he let reverberate in his mind again before clearing his throat. "Start from the top, gentlemen."

"Excuse me, my prince?" One of the councilmen leaned forward in his chair, a smile that twitched in the corner forced on his face.

"You heard me," Soul offered half of his own smile and while his words bit his tone was amiable. "Whatever you were talking about, start again from the beginning. And next time, you don't start without me or the princess in attendance."

"This is hardly the kind of talk for the princess," another man tried to press.

"I can assure you, I'm fine," Maka answered sweetly as Soul left her in her seat.

Soul raised his eyebrows at the men, waiting to sit until the grumbles had ceased.

"Well, I suppose I will start again with the northern territory…"

This was why he never went to these things, the discussion often becoming more back-patting than actual planning, the first half left to congratulate any small action. The list was droning on and on until Maka's voice cut effortlessly through the man, "My lord, I feel that information is incorrect. Just at the wedding, there was talk that the peasant death rate in that providence was much higher. The lord even went so far as to request action during his congratulations."

"What a crass action to have to put you through." The twitch was now more pronounced and the smile had soured but the man's voice was an attempt at placating. "Honestly, my princess, the idea that you would have to worry about such things-"

"Is as it should be," Maka shot back. "And I'm going to insist that we send at least two squadrons of veteran soldiers."

"I'm very sorry, princess, but I think you may be speaking on matters that are-"

"Watch yourself," Soul piped up, his chin still casually resting on the palm of his hand.

"I do not mean offense, my prince, but she-"

"Speaks for me in all matters," Soul easily corrected as his eyes slowly flicked from the man to Maka, almost oozing boredom but as Maka met them she saw the amusement he was hiding. "What Princess Maka says might as well be words from my own mouth."

"You can't expect us to-"

"You will," Soul smirked. "Unless you want to explore the alternative?"

"I'm sorry, my prince, I'm not sure what you mean."

Soul smiled at Maka. "What do you think his options are, princess?"

The past week had been vacant of those looks and Maka had been sure the sweet smile she was enjoying now had been gone forever. The time she took before her answer was not to compose one, she had it almost immediately especially since it was obvious Soul wanted to play a game of scaring them, but to savor the look on his face by letting her eyes linger over his. Maka finally tore her eyes away, letting them flick between the surprised faces. "All of you have the option to listen or to be replaced. You also have the decision if that replacement comes with honor and reward for your service or with blood."

Soul had to bite his tongue to stifle the laugh that wanted to press from his lips. _So dramatic, but necessary for these fools._

Without skipping a beat, even though Soul found his heart doing so, Maka offered a sweet laugh before saying, "Well, gentleman, shall we continue?"

* * *

The slow migration across the bed as they whispered in the dark found Maka with her cheek pressed against his chest, his hand only tentatively resting on her shoulder. "What do you think is happening in the northern territory?"

"Likely it's witches, or something or someone doing the bidding of witches." Maka enjoyed the warmth of surety that was sinking back in as she relived that meeting. She had power and while it had to be given by Soul, he had bestowed it without hesitation just as he had promised. "Though I wasn't sure if that was the right time to start throwing that word around."

"Probably not," Soul agreed as his fingers started to relax against her skin. "It'd be easier to convince them if we could get Medusa out in the open, have proof in front of their face rather than trying to tell them that what they say is a myth is a reality."

Maka sighed, "But how do we get her to mess up that badly? Kim _did_ wheedle her way into the apprenticeship but it's been a slow, uneventful start."

Soul squeezed her shoulder, "But that's a better start than nothing."

"I guess," Maka murmured as she lifted her head to look him in the eyes. "It would just… I wish it would go a little faster so we could get to the bigger problems."

He snorted a laugh, "One good meeting today and now you're ready to conquer the world."

"It did go well, didn't it?" her smile was glowing, and even seeing the way it melted him didn't make her hide it away. "I especially liked your line ' _Unless you want to explore the alternative?'_ " She tried her best to mimic him and it produced a heartier laugh from his mouth.

"That is _not_ what I sound like," Soul grinned.

"It's close enough." The laughs settled between the two of them and Maka finally found herself able to hold his stare, to feel his eyes on her without letting the emotions pull her under. "Soul, could we just go to sleep? Just like this?"

He cleared his throat as his hand touched softly to her cheek. She could feel his fingertips tremble and he didn't try to hide it by pressing them into her skin, just brushing along her jawline. "That's fine."

"It's just that talking to you tonight…"

"You don't have to explain." Soul finished his touch by clearing the hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. "Go to sleep."

Maka let her cheek rest against his chest again, happy to feel his nose nuzzle against her hairline, a shaking breath exhaling into her hair.

* * *

Soul was dreaming about their first kiss again and the way she'd stolen everything from him at that moment: his breath, his sense, his heart. But this time the haze didn't seem to end as she pulled him tighter but allowed for the next bit to become clear in his mind.

" _That was…" he murmured across her lips as she just barely released him._

" _Don't, not yet," she whispered back and the laugh that was threatening in his mouth was instantly stolen by her lips again. He was deliriously wondering how he even thought she'd refuse him since she seemed nothing but eager to risk getting caught just to keep teasing him with her hands that were now leaving the tight grip at his side and exploring up his back._

 _Soul was using it to bolster his resolve, to build up the courage and weight behind the 'I love you'_ _that was waiting on his tongue for her. Instead, the twig snapping sent her back to reality and her hands instantly patted to his chest, a furious blush hitting her cheeks. "Maka…" he started._

" _After," Maka pleaded. "Oh, I swear, after the picnic, Soul, you better…"_

_He laughed softly, "Yeah, got it."_

_He only had eyes for her, watching as she was trying to rub hopelessly at her cheeks but the smile was still glowing on those kiss-plumped lips. Neither of them was ready for Marie's discriminating glare or Black Star's knowing smirks but Soul was sure he'd brave all of it because he was floating on a cloud. He'd never felt so complete before in his life and the fact that she was going to wait for him, and that later he'd tell her, hold her again, kiss her until she made him stop_ **_if_** she made him stop.

_That spell only broke at the sound of her voice, "Oh, a boy."_

_His hand swiped for her but missed, "Maka, don't-"_

" _It's alright," she flashed a smile back at him, her face so carefree. "What are you doing out here alone? Maybe we can help you."_

The air sucked back into his lungs and Soul would have lurched to sitting if it wasn't for her head on his chest. _A boy?_ Soul sighed as the weaving together of the memory seemed to stop, leaving him stuck barely further than he'd been. It was then that he noticed the wet on his chest and while he was ready to tease her about drooling the moaned that erupted from her lips instantly told him the truth. He was just about to shake her awake when the thought hit him. _We were sharing her nightmare._ Without hesitation he slid the sheet out from under her palm, letting it rest on the bare skin of his chest and suck him back in.

_The horror gripping his mind was unlike anything he'd ever known. Maka was out of reach of his grasp and the sword in the boy's hand was meant for her. In a way, he was sure he could hear the sword singing, wanting her blood and her death, to eat her beautiful soul. Instead of the Maka from practice with Stein, this was a frightened girl, overcome with the same terror he was feeling. Instead of smooth, thoughtful moves she was stumbling, forgetting to protect herself and he had no alternative. If it was a toss-up between her life and his, there wasn't a doubt in his mind which he would choose._

_It only made sense to dive in front of her. Being split in two didn't matter so much, the physical pain nothing compared to the way her scream drove through him. It took every last ounce of his strength but he tried to pry her hands from his chest, murmuring on repeat, "Run."_

_He hated that she wouldn't, but he treasured that last moment of consciousness as she pressed her lips to his one more time, sobbing out the words, "I love you. Please don't leave me."_

"Maka?" He was back but she was still lost in her nightmare, her eyes clamped shut as the tears leaked through the lids. "Maka," Soul repeated as he ran his hand over her cheek, clearing the liquid.

"Soul?" came as a heartbroken sob from her mouth.

"I'm here," he murmured. "You were having a nightmare." His hand was smoothing up and down her back while the other continued to touch her face, daring any more tears to come.

"Oh," she let out a withering sigh. "I… please, just, please…"

He shushed her softly, "It's fine." A fresh batch sobs rattled in her chest and to his surprise she slipped on top of him, her arms desperately digging to get around him. He more than allowed it, wrapping his arms around her in kind as he let his lips drift across her cheeks and his whisper in her ear. "I'm here."


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I did try to keep this more realistic since you imagine both of them would be super inexperienced. It'll be fun to have them teach each other as we moved along! **sexual content ahead**

When Maka woke up she could tell Soul was still fully conscious, his fingers absently drifting over her hair in the motion he'd continued since he'd woken her from the nightmare. There was light in the windows and she couldn't imagine how many hours he'd spent just laying there comforting her. _I can't do this. I can't._ She sighed as she felt the tears prick her eyes again.

"You awake?" he murmured as if he could feel her entire existence and that just urged on the tears.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Soul dug his hand into her hair this time, tangling his fingers in the tresses at the base of her neck. "You had a bad night, nothing to be sorry about."

"No, I-"

The door opened quickly and Liz slammed it behind her before smacking a hand over her eyes. "I'm sorry, but we have to talk, _now_."

Maka eased off of him and Soul sat up. "What is it?"

Liz slowly let the hand drift from her face, revealing a frown. "Medusa was in the kitchen early this morning. Patty was listening to her talk to the girls about Maka's food, pretending to advise them on nutrition. When they showed her this morning's meal, Tsubaki watched her add a potion. Don't worry, Tsubaki made a new batch but it means she's on the move."

"Damn it," Soul cursed.

"Did you save some of what she poisoned?" Maka sighed as she rolled onto her back, staring at the canopy of the bed as the ideas raced through her head.

"I'm sorry, Maka, I didn't think of that."

"Don't be sorry," Maka smiled even if it wasn't for Liz to see. "Just, next time, since there will be a next time, save some so we can test it. She'll wait a week and try again, but ask them both to be vigilant. You all did an excellent job. Thank you."

Liz sighed, "Are you sure? Maybe you'd like it if-"

"No, really," Maka cut her off. "It's fine. Thank you again."

That didn't seem to placate her anymore but Liz turned back to the door. "I'll be back in a few minutes to dress you."

Soul cleared his throat, "Liz, make sure no one comes in here until I tell you. _No one_."

Liz raised her eyebrows but nodded slowly. "Yes, my prince." She was out the door incredibly fast as Soul stared down the space she'd left behind.

"What is it?" Maka murmured.

"We have to be serious about this, Maka." He angled his body back to her, hovering over her in the bed as he planted a hand above her shoulder. "If she's trying already that means we…" he sighed and let his eyes wander from her face to look at her hair spread across the pillow.

"We wasted time and now we have to start trying for an heir," she finished for him. "I know. But what you said, what you want-"

"That's not part of this discussion," he snapped. "My fucking hurt feelings don't even equate to your life. I… You dying, Maka…"

"It's not an easy thought, is it?" She murmured and his eyes shot back to her in surprise. "Will you take out your journal from under the mattress?"

"My what?" he laughed nervously.

"I'm sorry, but I found it the first night. I probably shouldn't have read it, but I did." Maka slid his hand away from above her shoulder and he followed her lead, fiddling under the mattress until he'd retrieved the book.

His eyes were darting over her face and he swallowed hard. "You read all of it?" He let the pages hang between them but even as she put her hand on them he didn't let go.

"Everything you'd written before the wedding." He barely relinquished it but as soon as it was in Maka's hands she was flipping to the end, the horrible line that had resounded through her head. " _I'd die to keep her safe,"_ Maka repeated out loud as she rested the book between them on her chest, the page open for him to read.

Soul's stare flicked between her and the page. "I was upset, Maka. I wrote that, but really I just-"

"But you won't deny that's how you still feel, will you?" Maka offered to him calmly.

He sighed, his eyes unsteadily settling on the page. "I would do anything to protect you. If that meant me dying, then, well…"

Maka let the forlorn groan break her lips as she pressed a hand to her face. "You did that once already!"

"I… I know, I remember," he murmured as the hand fluttered from her face to show wide eyes. "Last night, I guess you let me see the nightmare, but I remember the boy. I remember that you begged me."

"And that I told you then that I loved you?" Maka's lips curled and trembled in misery. "That's what the reward for love was, Soul. That's all I'd won for being in love and letting you love me. I promised myself that was the end because after losing you, I couldn't imagine doing that again."

Soul shook his head as his eyes narrowed, "But you didn't. I didn't die and even if I don't have a memory of it, I'm going to go ahead and say that's probably because you _did_ love me. And worse, I think you're forgetting something even more important."

"What?"

"I've got you to protect me," he laughed softly. "You're not weak, breakable. For the most part, you take care of yourself. I never plan on dying and I'm pretty sure at this point it's near impossible, but that promise just really means that I'm going to do everything I can for you. So, stop seeing it as I'm planning on throwing my life away and see it for what it is, just another way of me saying I love you."

Maka pressed her hand to his chest, the tangled white scar peeking through her fingers. "And if I said the same thing to you, that I would die for you?"

"I would believe you," he let another laugh tumble from his lips. "And I wouldn't worry, because you're strong and I think you could be even stronger if you just let this go. What happened that day happened because it was going to, not as some crazy punishment for being in love."

Her fingers hesitated, crinkling against his skin, "If I… _try_ to do that, can you promise me something?"

Soul nodded as he closed the book, slipping it to the side.

"I know I… sometimes I act rash. Most of my steps to get here have felt like gut reactions I made on the fly so will you… be my partner, help me make better choices? There's no way you don't think things through and I… need you."

"If you can promise _me_ something," he murmured as he turned and eased on top of her, a pressure that she welcomed with her hands touching at his side.

"What is it?"

"That you talk to me," he sighed out long and slowly as his hand came to rest on her cheek. "Secrets don't work, not for us."

Maka nodded quickly. "I promise."

"Then I promise," he grinned.

She let out an aching breath, "Then kiss me because I missed you and I love you."

His only answer was a chuckle before he pressed his lips to hers, jumping in his need from those chaste presses to slipping his tongue into her mouth, stealing the sweetness and breath straight from her. There was no need to think of the advice or guidance because none of it came to mind, all of his movements spurred purely by the closeness to her. As he struggled with the ties of her dressing gown at the side Maka was busy digging her hands into his hair, encouraging those needy kisses that stole her breath away even more than their first.

Soul freed one side and slid his hand under the fabric, treasuring the softness of her skin under his fingertips. Nervous hesitation was nowhere in his mind and as his palm met the swell of her breast he grasped it, massaging into her as her moan broke their kiss. "Again," she urged as she locked her legs around him. Soul happily complied and was rewarded with a grind of her hips, creating friction that he was helpless against. "Your pants," she murmured as she began to tug at them.

"Already?" he groaned out against her neck as she managed to slip them off his ass, catching on his erection that was tightly pressed between them.

"This one has to be quick," she huffed as he took the opportunity to experiment with nibbling on her neck. "But tonight, tonight we'll spend more time on all the rest."

"Tonight?" Soul was battling with her order, technically wanting to take it slow, to find out what her body was like but knowing that time wasn't exactly on his side. "Fuck, you better mean that," he grumbled as he wrestled with his pants, getting them awkwardly to his ankles as he tried to keep up with littering kisses on her neck.

Maka laughed softly, "I swear. I'm just pretty sure we're late to see your mother at breakfast and the last thing I want is for her to come and find out _why_."

"Please don't bring her up right now," Soul growled while caressing her breast again, trying to produce another sweet sound from her to bring him away from reality.

"Then come here and keep me quiet." Her hand moved to his cheek, bringing him back to her mouth. Soul sighed against her lips as her hand drifted down his chest and then to his belly button, playing just below as the muscles fluttered in response. He answered her playfulness with a searing kiss that only just kept the groan from urging from his lips as she took hold of him.

"Maka," he grunted as she stroked his length.

"Yes?" She had released him just to pull aside her dressing gown that was still only half untied. Maka could remember the ghost of the fear and anxiety, the idea of a man taking her but with another sweet caress of his lips, the last of it dissolved into nothing.

"I'm sorry." Soul slowed his motions, giving time to running a hand along her cheek and clearing the hair from her face to get a good glimpse of her sparkling eyes.

"I think that should be my line," Maka murmured as she stole a soft kiss.

That same old sweet worry was eating at his smile and produced the softest of sighs from his mouth. "If it hurts, or if…"

Maka hushed him quickly with another kiss as she took hold of him again and discovered the strange sensation of rubbing him against her opening. She had heard in whispers and through eavesdropping that this _could_ be about more than making children, that a woman could enjoy this just as much as a man and there was a fleeting turn of that in her stomach as she used him to toy with herself. They parted with a desperate pant and Maka barely whispered out, "Just tell me you love me and promise that tonight…"

"Tonight will be anything but duty," he answered hungrily as his lips touched the curve of her jaw. Those kisses trailed along her neck and dissolved into nibbling on her earlobe. At the end of his journey, he whispered softly, "I love you."

Maka removed her hand, leaving him pressed firmly against her and Soul started the slow motion of his hips. There was a small, breathless moan from her mouth and he would have stopped if it hadn't been for her legs flexing around him, forcing him to reach his depth. That feeling from his dream came back to him, the idea of being complete, that even though it'd been five years instead of just an afternoon that he thought he'd have to wait, but he was hers, he'd told her and there was nothing left but to enjoy it.

One of her hands journeyed through his hair while the other urged the motion of his hips, fingers digging into the flesh of his hip with each thrust. It was easy to get lost in her, especially as everything else quieted in him. This closeness offered more than the touch of her hand had ever given him and if his mind had the ability to wonder about something other than the need for her skin he probably would have questioned if this was another display of her abilities. Then again, she had always had power over him and that moment made him surer than ever that she would for the rest of their lives.

The sensation wasn't alien to him, but the wave that was threatening to take him was like a tsunami rather than the regular seas of being alone. He brought his lips back to hers, toying with her tongue as the last bit of sense left him. Maka trapped his groan with her mouth as she tightened her legs around him. She had expected him to pull away but instead, Soul was kissing her deeply, his body relaxing on top of hers as his hand smoothed under her gown again, clutching at her breast with the same fervor as the first time. Even if this was supposed to be duty he made it feel anything but, refusing to part from her even after he had come down from the climax.

"Soul," Maka chided softly as he finally parted from her lips just to litter a few more kisses along her neck.

"One more minute," he grumbled as he tried to encourage her legs back around him by bringing his hand to her thigh.

Maka was giggling softly, letting her legs dangle around his back again as ordered by those needy fingers. "One more minute and then-"

It was the kerfuffle that was bleeding in from the hallway that froze the rest of that playful line in Maka's throat and just as she pressed her hands to his chest to get an inch of space between them the door exploded. "My Queen!" Liz was desperately starting after Soul's mother but it didn't make a difference to the woman on a mission.

"Why is it that I'm hearing you're _threatening_ your father's counsel…" The Queen's words drifted off as Soul desperately pulled the sheet up, tucking it protectively over Maka.

"Mother," he hissed. A few stuttering words started from the Queen's lips before Soul sighed. "I assume this is what we get for being late for breakfast," he muttered as he did his best to keep Maka covered as he finally detached from her. Soul sat up and his mother developed the decency to turn her head. "I'm sorry," he muttered, "I was taking care of your _first_ complaint from the other morning as you can see. Would you like to check these sheets before they're changed as well?"

Maka smothered a laugh into the pillow along with the start of a blush.

"Now is there something you desperately need or can my wife and I get dressed?" he snapped.

With a huff and a few squabbling complaints, the Queen turned quickly on her heels and brushed past Liz who was desperately holding in her own cackles of laughter.

"I told you _no one_ ," Soul shook a finger at Liz as he puddled the other end of the sheet at his groin.

"I tried to tell her," Liz waved her hands in innocence. "But I think _this_ might have been worth it," tumbled easily off her lips with a smirk.

"Well the damn order still stands," Soul waved a hand at her. "Get the hell out."

"You think you'd be happy," Liz sang out as she spun back to the door.

"I told you," Maka barely tucked her face out of the pillow to grumble at him.

"I should have just taken my time if we were going to get caught either damn way," he sighed.

Maka propped up on her elbow, taking a moment to stare at him which seemed to both unnerve and amuse him at the same time. "What did you mean her ' _first complaint_?'"

Soul let out a frustrated huff of air, "That morning after the wedding she wanted to make sure…"

She hummed out thoughtfully, "Why does it matter? I would almost think it'd work to her advantage if there was no chance I'd produce an heir."

"Technically," Soul abandoned the sheet as he opted to instead crawl back into the bed with her, "you and I weren't officially married until just now."

"Oh," Maka wanted to take the moment seriously but felt it melting away as she rolled over to receive him. "No consummation meant another easy reason to get rid of me."

"I guess." Soul was practically back to the interrupted position, pressing his body against hers and soaking in her warmth. "No shot now. We're together. We're strong."

"And we're late," she teased again but her fingers betrayed her and ran through his hair, bringing his lips back to hers.


	15. Chapter 15

To Maka's dismay, she was not only going to have to stomach a fractious breakfast with the Queen and King but also had to quietly accept Liz's whispering in Black Star's ear. It wouldn't have been so bad if that idiot hadn't almost instantly split into the hallway only to let his cackles out while still in earshot. Maka shot Soul a look and while he was conveniently letting his eyes wander anywhere else but her she broadcasted the clear message: _If you tell him anything about it, Soul, I'll kill you._

"The advisors," his mother started again as soon as Maka had taken her seat, leaving Soul to clamp his fingers in the wood of Maka's chair as he pressed her chair in.

"What about them?" Soul offered cooly.

"Lord Umbril said you busted into their meeting-"

"Which I should be at," Soul pressed in between her words before he took a seat.

Red was starting to brighten the queen's throat. "Brought the princess-"

Soul let this one sneak out lower though definitely within his mother's earshot, "Who probably knows more about fighting than any of them."

"And proceeded to threaten their lives if they didn't comply," the Queen finished haughtily.

Soul offered a thin smile, "Did he request a formal apology?"

The Queen narrowed her eyes, "No, but you'd be better off if you treated these men with respect."

"I will, when they learn to treat their princess and their people with respect," Soul replied lightly but he felt the rage starting to bubble beneath the surface.

"And this business with the soldiers-"

"Will happen," Soul let that snap from his lips. "And I've already ordered correspondences from the other lords in the nearby areas. I'm not going to sink my head in the sand."

"Soul!" His mother roared.

"Am I not supposed to be a King?" He was edging up out of his seat and while his voice was still steady it fuzzed around the edges with fury. "Isn't this what Wes did? Fought for his people, _died_ for his people?"

"Stop that," his father finally slipped into the conversation. "We'll not speak of that."

"Oh, no," Soul shook his head. "Maybe neither of you will, but I'm going to and you're going to hear it." He was prepared for his tirade but not for the gentle way Maka's fingers spread over his.

Her warmth was there again and when he lowered his eyes to her, Maka was smiling softly at him. " _Breath,"_ she mouthed.

Soul did as ordered before he looked back to his parents, his voice now centered. "We aren't doing our people any favors by pretending that Wes's death made the war over and done with. I want to preserve his memory by continuing what he did. I'm trying my best, maybe you two should do the same."

"Remember, you are only half a King," his mother started but his father placed a hand over hers.

"We're taking our leave," the King said quickly as he stood and brought his wife's clenched hand with his. "Princess, Soul." He nodded before dragging his grumbling wife off.

"What was that?" Maka murmured as she motioned towards the door.

"I don't know." Soul's forehead wrinkled as he took his seat next to her again. "Usually the Queen has the last say."

"I've noticed," Maka sighed.

Soul glanced at the doorway again, "But he cut her off. Can't say I remember the last time that happened."

Maka hummed thoughtfully but left the space open for him. Soul didn't seem to bite at it, just leaning back in the chair as his jaw worked to chew over the entirety of it. That face was the perfect embodiment of him and Maka had to smother a smile behind her hand. In the silence she started to reach for the food, putting a smattering of breakfast on her plate and even daring to throw a few things on his. That was the first time his eyes moved from the periphery, a sly smirk starting at the corner of his mouth.

"You're feeding me now?"

"You were busy thinking," Maka answered with an easy shrug.

He snorted a laugh but really it wanted to be a dreamy sigh, the idea instantly turning his thoughts back to this morning. "You remember what I like?"

She rolled her eyes playfully, "We ate every meal together for a few years."

"But you paid attention," he teased.

"Don't be so full of yourself," she sent him a withering glare. "Maybe I'm just good at observing things."

He leaned closer, his lips near her ear. "Admit it, you paid attention to every little thing I did."

"Never," she grinned. "And I bet I remember just as much about Black Star as I do about _you_."

Soul huffed in reply as he flattened his back against the chair. "Next you'll tell me you _liked_ both of us."

Maka gave him a coy smile.

"Maka," he complained.

She finally broke, the giggles erupting from her mouth. "No, you were the only one from the start. Mostly because you were quiet, let me talk. With Black Star, you can never get a word in edgewise."

A tiny corner of his mind was still ruffled and he couldn't help the next words from tumbling off his tongue, "What about Hero?"

Maka let a few more laughs flutter from her lips as she leaned against her elbow on the table. "You remember him?"

"Barely," Soul grumbled.

"He was a bit of an idiot." Maka's smile was threatening to make her cheeks ache as his expression turned sourer.

Soul was entirely letting his teenage self filter through, the irked whispers that used to drift in the back of his mind in those memories. "He followed you around."

"He did," Maka nodded commiseratingly before laughing again. "And after you left it was incessant."

His brow wrinkled as he crossed his arms over his chest and started chewing on more words.

A little of the amusement drifted away from her lips, "And after you left, I thought that was who I was going to have to end up marrying. Really, I should have been telling myself that even when you were with me but… "

Soul grunted, "Did he actually try to…?" The rest of that was out of his grasp, overwhelmed suddenly by jealousy that didn't matter.

"Very amorously," Maka sighed. "You and Black Star would have died of laughter. His poetry was _awful_."

He sucked his teeth before letting the last remnants bite from his lips, "But you thought about it."

"For a very short second," she laughed as she brought her hand to his, finding his fingers still stiff in her grasp. "You know I'm _really_ enjoying this jealousy."

"As if I'd be jealous of an idiot who hits-" he snapped back.

"His thumbs more than he hits his anvil," Maka finished for him with a laugh. "You used to always say that."

"It was the truth," he grumbled.

"If it makes you feel better, I was jealous too," she murmured as her fingertips danced over his knuckles.

"Of what?" a tentative laugh broke through his lips.

"Maybe I held out hope that you'd write to me," Maka traced another line over the top of his hand. "I knew after your brother's death you weren't coming back but… it was like you forgot about me completely."

"I did, sort of," Soul sighed.

"Which no one told me, so I assumed that had something to do with all the ladies that you were probably having paraded in front of you since you were going to be King and going to need a Queen." Maka paused to pop a grape in her mouth, trying to erase the bitterness of the words.

"I…" Soul reached out and gently touched her cheek. "I put off courting. The idea felt empty, and I was… still not feeling like myself."

Maka raised her eyebrows as she brought her eyes back to his. "So the contest wasn't your choice?"

"Of course not," Soul scoffed. "Since when did I ever want that kind of attention?"

"True," she laughed softly as she leaned into his touch. "And I never thought I'd end up there until Marie offered me the ladyship and I… I guess I wanted to come here and have you actually really reject me. I assumed when you stood up that day that you were going to get rid of me and I could finally know that you and I were just something I imagined."

Soul shook his head slowly and abandoned the soft touches of her hand to bring both of his to her face. "I've never been a liar, so when I said I wasn't leaving you, I meant it. I wish you'd have realized that day one, Maka, that you were always going to be with me. Just got interrupted for a little."

Maka laughed sharply, "Felt like a lot more than a little."

"We'll have more than enough time to make up for it," he grinned.

She raised her eyebrows playfully, "But not right now." Maka pointed over towards Liz who seemed to be impatiently motioning for her. "I have more court lady business to attend to."

Soul sighed hopelessly, "And I think I have a meeting with the treasury."

"Maybe I'll see you in the afternoon." She giggled as she pulled his hands from her cheeks, settling them back in his lap before taking her hands away. "If not, tonight. But before you get thinking about that can I suggest something?"

Putting the idea of tonight on hold felt impossible, but he attempted to not let his mind drift away. "What's that?"

Maka leaned closer and whispered, "See if you can meet with your father by himself."

"You think he'll listen?"

"Something bothered him about what you said and without your mother…" Maka shrugged.

"Good idea." He wanted to reach for her again but Maka was already on her feet and moving around the table. "Don't have too much fun with the ladies."

Maka snorted a laugh before she paused, throwing her head over her shoulder to look at him. "You know… I'm glad I took the chance."

He smirked, "You're fearless. Why wouldn't you?"

* * *

It wasn't possible that the treasury meeting could be any more boring, but Soul somehow managed to keep himself conscious enough to insert at least part of his will. There were a few times he wished for Maka but with each command, he felt her voice echoing in his head. He was becoming a prince instead of an ornament and while he hated being the center of attention, the idea that she could be proud of him, that she could love him for this spurred him on. Although, when Black Star stuck his head into the meeting Soul couldn't help but feel relief.

"The Queen left for the temple," Black Star whispered into his ear.

"And my father?"

"In the garden."

Soul took his leave from the meeting, trailing close behind Black Star through the corridors. The sun blinded them as they moved to the courtyard and Black Star sent him a weak wave as he parted for the barracks. His feet were swift and purposeful as he moved along the hedges. The soldiers were his first clue, a King never necessarily ever being left alone, an idea that he didn't look forward to. As he cleared the maze to reach the trees he caught sight of his father.

It was often like looking in a mirror, as it had been with his brother, but Soul had always tried to see the differences instead of the way the two of them echoed each other. For that moment, he was ready to set it aside. "Father?"

The King turned his head and gave a faint smile. "This isn't your usual spot."

"I was looking for you," Soul tried to keep it from echoing his tone from breakfast, leaving it just as soft inquisitiveness.

The King nodded before turning his attention back to the light pin-holing through the canopy of the trees.

"I'm sorry if…" Soul cleared his throat. "I know that bringing up Wes hurts you."

"An apology isn't necessary," he breathed out in barely a whisper.

Soul took a few steps closer and tried to search his memory for the last time he tried to converse with his father. There were just blanks, a relationship that relied on his mother as a mouthpiece with only a few glances between the two of them. There was no hope that continuing in that way would save this so Soul dropped to his knees at his father's feet, his face looking up expectantly at him like a child at storytime. "After he died, it… felt like you stopped existing. All I ever hear now is Mother's voice and none of the advisors can tell me the last time you've been to any of these meetings. Today was the first time in a long time I feel like you've even _seen_ me."

A slow sigh left the King's lips. "Your mother has always been strong-willed. It seems you've picked the same for yourself."

Soul snorted a laugh, "Maka is nothing like Mother."

"When your mother was younger, yes," the King smiled at the memory before it quickly drifted off his face. "But you lose a child and it hardens something in you. Out of fear you find yourself acting in ways that are not always right to protect what you have left." The King moved his kind eyes to Soul's face, a steady red reflection of his own. "We almost lost both of our sons at the same time. You lived, but for some time you were half of what you were."

"But I've been improving," Soul offered hopefully.

"I've noticed," the King smiled, "and with that, it seems like a piece of your brother has come back as well." The breath caught in Soul's throat as his father's hand reached out, resting on his hair. Maybe he had become a child again, especially as that was the last time he could remember his father touching him.

"Then what I said, about keeping Wes's memory, didn't make you angry?"

The King sighed, "No, but… I am left wondering that if you follow in his footsteps, will we lose you again as well?"

"I guess I can tell you what I told the princess, that I don't plan on dying," Soul laughed softly. "I know that doesn't exactly keep you from being scared about it, but… neither of us can let the fear of me dying leave us blind to the rest of the world." Even though he hated to lose it, Soul grabbed his father's hand off of his head, cradling it in his own. "Evil didn't die with Wes, and I need you to trust me and let me do something about it."

His father was a mirror for Soul because he could see the same chilly look of frightened thought cross his face. He wondered if he should speak again, his mouth trying to form words that seemed pointless but the King relieved him of the need. "I'd like to continue to see you attend these meetings. Make choices. Bringing your princess may rub a few of them the wrong way, but I see it doesn't bother you to put them in their places. If you can continue like this… your mother's insistence that you are half a King will have to be rectified."

"If I prove myself you'll… you'd step down?" Reflexively his fingers clenched at his father's and as if he could be more breathless they squeezed back in kind.

"I would have done the same for your brother," the King smiled softly. "Keep your promises and I'll keep mine."

Soul let out a delirious laugh tempered with the joy that was starting in his chest. "Just watch me."

* * *

Liz leaned in close, the words only for Maka's ear. "The prince requests you for just a minute."

Maka raised her eyebrow, the curiosity further sparked by Liz's amused smile. "Where?"

"Black Star's here to take you to him," Liz offered as another whisper.

 _The captain is still playing errand boy?_ Maka let out a quick laugh before turning her eyes back to the disapproving bunch of ladies. "If you'll excuse me for just a moment. My husband has requested me." _And I'm just a wife doing my duty_ , Maka added with an internal eye roll before standing. Though, what was that feeling in the pit of her stomach when she used the word? When she reminded herself that Soul was her husband?

"Took you long enough," Black Star grumbled as soon as she was close enough to keep it out of earshot.

"I'll pretend you didn't talk to your princess that way," Maka chirped, enjoying the pained glare she received in reply. "And why all the secretive whisking away?"

Black Star huffed, "He doesn't want any extra ears."

"Then why not wait for tonight, when we're alone," Maka wondered out loud.

He didn't rein in his laugh in reply, "Probably because he's got better things he wants to do with you tonight."

"Idiot," Maka hissed as the blush hit her cheeks.

"Don't be ashamed, princess," Black Star raised his eyebrows playfully at her. "I mean, from what I hear-"

"You heard _nothing_ ," Maka snapped.

"Sure the Queen wasn't telling many people but I have a best friend who-"

"Who will be murdered by my hand if you finish that sentence," she spat back.

Black Star sucked his teeth, "As if you'd kill him."

"Try me," she replied flatly as they turned another corner and Black Star quickly pressed her into an open door, slamming it behind her. It was dark except for a sliver of light from a mostly covered window and Maka blinked to try to settle her eyes. "I swear if that idiot is playing a game with me…" She turned back to the door but firm hands grabbed at her waist. "That better be my husband or I'm going to-"

Soul's soft ' _sh'_ turned into a chuckle. "What's got you so angry?" he whispered.

"Oh, just a morning full of asinine conversation and then your best friend threatening to discuss our moment together this morning that should remain private if _you_ want to keep having said moments." He was bewildered by how her voice could remain so quiet but still drill into him and all Soul could do was laugh again. "And now you've ordered me here for a minute which is turning into many and I have to get back to-"

The soft pad of his finger touched her lips, quelling the complaint long enough so that he could replace it with his own lips. While his plan had just been a few rushed sentences, being this close to her had ruined any hope of maintaining that and even with all her badgering, Maka was quick to give in. Her body melted into his and both were lost for much more important minutes. When they parted, Soul whispered with a grin, "Better?"

"If you're buttering me up," she sighed sweetly, "it worked."

"Then I'll be quick with the rest," he planted a kiss on her cheek before leaving the words right next to her ear. "With the treasury, I had our wedding gifts evenly divided and sent back out to the provinces. _I_ called a meeting of the war council tomorrow so you'll have to blow off your ladies. And I spoke to my father."

"You've had a busy morning," Maka cooed happily. "I'm proud of you."

How much that warmed him was unexpected and all he wanted to do was taste her lips again as if that would be enough to thank her for that feeling. "But he said… he'll step down if I continue to prove myself."

"What?" Maka could barely breathe out the word.

"If I keep doing what my brother did and… and I follow you, I'll be King, and you'll be Queen without having to lose them." His hands were creeping along her cheeks and into her hair. "We're going to rule."


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **sexual content ahead**

Maka was testing him. It was impossible that he was multitasking, listening while his fingers worked slowly at the ties of her dressing gown under the sheet, but each time she asked a question for clarification or detail he offered it. He had untied everything on her one side and used that same hand to encourage her to roll over which she did with barely an ounce of resistance. It wasn't as if that was where the conversation stopped, either, just changing to his whisper right next to her ear as he brought his chest to her back.

As a wife, she knew she shouldn't be embarrassed that the position had sprung him to life and while he wasn't necessarily rubbing it against her she could feel it firmly pressing, speaking to her just as much as his words were. After his fingers had run out of ties, he rested his hand against her stomach, still keeping the tempo of the conversation but punctuating sentences now with deeper breaths and a few more sighs. Maybe it was him that should be testing her because Maka was unable to concentrate as that heated thought crossed her mind. _It could be more than just making a child._

Maka nibbled into her lip while waiting for his next sentence to end. In the momentary silence, she moved her hips, creating friction that left his next correspondence as a groan. Taking the invitation, Soul rubbed against her backside, perfectly running the ridge between her cheeks. He moaned again but this time finished with a laugh as he grabbed at her hip. "Don't get me started just yet."

"Why?" Maka tried to keep the coyness in her question. "Do we have more to discuss?"

"Kind of," he murmured back. "I need you to tell me what to do."

"About what?" Rational Maka resurfaced, her face turning to his with concern only to find a bashful grin starting across his cheeks.

"Well, like I said, I'm not exactly… sure how to touch you… what you like… what would feel good." Each trail off added more color to his cheeks.

A fire was starting on her own cheeks as she rolled onto her back. "Soul, I… I'm not sure I know either."

"You never…" He choked on his next breath, having to clear his throat.

"Well," Maka let her eyes fall to the sheet. "I _did_ but I never, I guess, I always stopped myself because…"

"Because?" he questioned breathlessly.

"I was thinking about things I shouldn't," she murmured softly.

A small smile managed to cross his lips, "It couldn't be that bad."

Maka huffed as she let a finger trail down his chest. "Well, I'd only ever been kissed once and that was the first time that I felt _like that_ so any time that I did that I couldn't stop from wondering…"

"I can tell you what would have happened if I never had to go away." There was still a hint of anxiety in his voice, a little warble but it was still smooth and low, lulling her eyes back to him. "After the picnic, after I barely made it through Black Star's smirks and Marie trying to read into my nervousness, I would have waited until after dinner, when you usually got left alone to read in the library." He leaned in and planted a kiss on her neck and Maka could do nothing in reply other than let out a fluttering sigh.

"I would have not bothered knocking because I'd be too busy trying to keep myself from losing my mind to the jitters."

Maka's hand dug into his hair, pressing his lips back to her neck. "I would have probably tried to yell at you, just out of habit."

Soul laughed softly, feeling her shudder at the heat of his breath against her neck. "And I would have blurted it out, ' _I love you,'_ without much to back it up." He tempered another laugh by pressing his lips back to her skin, experimenting with nipping at her lightly with his teeth.

Maka hummed out somewhere between thoughtful and pleased. "I want to pretend I would have kissed you, but I might have just been too…" She had to let it trail off as his hand slipped between the opening in her gown and lingered up her stomach.

"Would you have said it back?" he whispered huskily against her ear, sending a chill down her spine.

Even with the game, Maka didn't temper her honesty. "I would have been scared to because even if I dreamed about it, I wouldn't have expected us to end up here."

"Play along," he grumbled as his hand risked moving over the swell of her breast and cupping it. "I would have stayed there until we were old enough, stealing kisses when you would allow them."

"And then?" Maka panted as she pressed his hand through the fabric, giving him the encouragement he needed to play with her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. She trembled through a moan.

"I would have offered you anything," he used his leg to hook her, moving her hip so he could get her close enough to feel that friction again. Maka was too kind, giving him a reprieve from the awkward angle by slipping her hand down his chest and rubbing him through his pants. He let out an urgent groan before he panted out, "We could have run away together. Or married there. Or I'd risk bringing you back here with me because I'd do anything."

"Would you really have promised me that?" Maka's fingers gripped the outline of his shaft, the fabric barely enough to keep their pressure and heat from driving him insane.

Her neck was no longer enough and he ardently pressed his lips to hers. His tongue was desperate to break through and she welcomed him with a moan as he tweaked her nipple again. Soul barely had the mind for words anymore but as his hand changed direction, running along her center and over her belly button he managed to whisper breathlessly across her lips, "One way or another, Maka, I was going to marry you."

"I guess that's where the fantasy stops." Her hand came over his, her eyes opening to see him seemingly observing every detail of her smile. She guided him down, pressing his two fingers between her folds. "It helps if you… dip your fingers to get them wet."

"Dip?" But he was answering his own question with those two exploring fingers, finding her opening and testing it, discovering exactly what she'd described. As he pressed those two fingers into her, Maka's hips moved to the motion and he was attentively watching her face as she closed her eyes with a trembling breath. "Then?"

"Here." She moved his hand a little before her opening, the soft button of her clit under his finger. "Keep rubbing."

With slick fingers, he easily glided back and forth over the nub, and Maka began to pant helplessly. She couldn't even think of stroking him again, her hand moving instead to clutch desperately at his arm as the trembling almost instantly overtook her. "Are you alright?" he slowed his fingers as he whispered.

"Yes, just don't stop," pressed from her lips wildly as she dug her nails into his skin.

Soul could almost be amused by the impatient order if he wasn't so taken with the way her lips were parting and producing one moan after another. Compared to her whispering quietness this morning this was a symphony and he was glad to hear it, choosing to litter kisses on her neck again instead of risking silencing her. He tested the pressure, adding to it slightly and was instantly rewarded with her gasping for air, her nails definitely leaving their mark in his arm.

"Soul," she managed to murmur before another moan. "Please…"

"It's alright," he soothed with a low baritone against her ear. With one more distinct, loud cry she locked her hips against him, slowing his fingers as she tucked her head closer to his chest. Spurts of air and a few last groans puttered out against his chest as her legs trembled around his hand. "Did that feel good?"

"Good?" she murmured with a laugh. "I don't…" Maka's fingers slowly released from the flesh of his arm before another shaking breath exited against his chest. "I didn't know it could feel like that."

"Like what?" Soul let his fingers drift out from between her legs, wiping them on the sheet before letting them trail back up her stomach.

"Like I can't feel anything but everything at the same time," another laughed followed her half-delirious reply. "I'm sorry, that doesn't make sense."

"As long as it was what you wanted." He only got to press his lips to her hairline momentarily before she was tilting her head up to meet him. Her lips told him the definite answer as she wrapped her legs around his waist, giving him a clear flashback to the morning. It was only then that he realized how frenzied his need for her was and he proceeded to struggle out of his pants with no more grace than before. Maka didn't waste any time, his ankles barely out before she was grasping him, trying to lock him to her.

The best parts about it were the same: the silence within himself and the way he was once again assured that there was nothing missing to him anymore. But entering her was a completely different sensation, the beautiful glide to her warm center, the absurd but still enjoyable sound of him slapping against her as he reached his depth. This was easier for both of them, and as the soft moans continued while he plunged he was sure there was no other way he'd start making love to her ever again. He only hoped that she could forget the stumbling rush and only remember this.

Soul unhinged easily, letting go in a final, frantic thrust that left him groaning and huffing into the crux of her neck. He whispered a few nonsensical things, halfway between begging and exaltation as he collapsed on top of her again. "Is this OK?"

"You can stay like that if you want," Maka whispered contently as she ran her fingers up and down his back. The goosebumps followed her fingers as he sunk deeper while he murmured more against her neck. "What are you talking about?" she laughed.

"I'm going to do that for you every time," he reiterated frankly against her neck before loosing a sigh. "I'm sorry I didn't know how."

"Sorry?" Maka laughed incredulously. "I think I'm glad. It means… you waited for me. And I don't mind teaching you. I've done it for plenty of other things."

"Deal," he murmured back. There was a prolonged silence, his body still comfortably crushing into hers before he sighed out against her neck. "Maka…"

"Hm?" She'd moved on to playing with his hair, tugging out little spikes.

He barely lifted up on his arms, careful not to detach yet but enough to see her eyes. "If… _when_ you get pregnant…"

"Yes?" Maka had almost entirely forgotten about that part of it in all the ecstasy. With that clarity, she planted her hands on his shoulders, trying to steady herself for his words.

"Can you…" he sighed. "It's not, I don't know, maybe it's not…"

"Soul," she pressed softly. "Just say it. Remember, we're not keeping secrets."

"Yeah," he nodded somberly before forcing out another huff of air. "Will you take care of the baby?"

Maka would have laughed at the joke if it weren't for the searching need in his eyes. "What do you mean? I, well, I'd be its mother so…"

"But it's normal to have a wet-nurse, a nanny…" he sighed.

Every last shred of words at her disposal were gone because none of that made sense to her. Granted, she didn't remember much of her mother being a mother, but both of her parents were still the ones who raised her. When Marie had her child, which only a few knew about since technically it was out of wedlock, the secret nature of it all only left Marie to care for the baby. _Who doesn't raise their own child?_ Staring at him brought the answer. "Your mother had those things?"

"I think in the castle it's expected," Soul muttered.

"Well…" Maka touched his cheek softly. "Will you help me?"

The question was barely out of her mouth before his reply followed, "Of course."

"Then we won't need those things," Maka shook her head slowly. "But you were… concerned about that?"

"I…" He brushed his lips to hers to steal the courage. "Between your promise and that scare with the black blood, I've been thinking about it. It was easy to stay awake after your nightmare and just… let it _be_ in my head."

"You do think too much," Maka caressed along his jaw again. "Is that your only worry?"

"No," he snorted a laugh. "That's barely the start."

Maka kissed him again sweetly and then planted one or two more for good measure. "Every night you tell me another one, OK?"

"One worry a night?"

"Yes," she nuzzled her nose to his. "And we'll tackle each one together."

* * *

Any given evening was spent tangled together and Soul couldn't determine how this wasn't how everyone spent their time once married because there was surely no other way he wanted to end their day. It was a quiet oasis in his life, or really not always with Maka's enthusiasm weighed in, and while he never asked, she seemed to feel the same. There was never another moment of hesitation from her.

And each night they fell asleep to soft discussion, unwinding the day and their lives. This was most certainly what they would call the honeymoon period. If only that was all life ever was.

* * *

Maka had been quiet since the letter was delivered and Soul bided his time. She had promised no secrets, and while she never did seem quick with them, he was sure it would eventually surface. But as they talked in the dark as always, there wasn't a mention of the parchment. _Give her a little time,_ Soul reminded himself and that thought echoed into his dreams, leaving him thinly sleeping. It was enough that as she murmured in her sleep his eyes shot open.

"Crona…" It was a pathetic little mewl. "Please…"

Soul blinked out into the darkness and tried to force his mind to place the name as Maka started to tremble in his arms.

"Don't," she begged forcefully. "Please, don't."

For another night his chest was slick with tears, a feeling that he was growing used to but still hated. He gently shook her shoulder, listening for the tell-tale gasp of her violently being pulled away from a nightmare. "Maka?"

"I'm sorry," she murmured as she cleared the tears off his skin with the palm of her hand.

He ignored it since the apology was not what he wanted or needed. "Who's Crona?"

Something like a whimper left her throat that stuttered out to a sigh. "Did I share my dream again?"

"No, you were saying his name." Soul had to try to not make that sound biting since uttering it stirred something in his chest.

Maka took a quiet moment to rub her hands over her face before she sat up in bed, losing his arms around her. Soul didn't stir, only letting his hand drift to the small of her back. "You said you remembered that day."

"I did, _I do_ ," he murmured.

She took a breath as she pulled her knees to her chest, resting her cheek on them. "Crona. That's their name, the person that hurt you."

"The boy?" Soul offered.

Maka let out a weak laugh, "Well, the more you get to know them, the less you're sure to be honest. I've just settled on not pressing unless they tell me."

"What do you mean tell you? Are you saying…?"

She bit into her lip for a second before sucking in air. "After you were hurt, Stein and Spirit fought Crona."

 _No wonder there's no memory for this, I wasn't actually there._ Even that reassurance didn't bring any comfort and Soul was dying to fill in all the blanks. "Spirit?"

"Oh…" Maka blew air between her lips. "My father, Spirit. He and Stein used to be partners before he met my mother."

Soul couldn't help but risk sidetracking them. "Have I met him?"

"Oh, yes," there was an ounce of amusement in that. "You most definitely _do not_ like one another."

Soul sighed and let that settle before continuing, "But after they fought?"

"Well, eventually we tracked Crona down, and…" Maka finally turned her soft eyes to his and as they hit him, Soul felt his gut twist. He had been worried about a name instead he should have heard the pain of it all, a terror that shone in her eyes. "I wanted to kill Crona. I wanted to tear them apart for what they did to you. I tried, and we were actually pretty even in the end because I just kept remembering that you almost died because of them. But… when I touched them, my hand to their arm in a quick moment during the battle, I _felt_ it. How sad, alone, hurt, discarded they were, and… I begged them to surrender instead."

"You mean they're alive?" Soul murmured weakly.

Maka nodded slowly as a faint smile took to her lips, "And safe, in a place that no one will find them."

Soul's forehead wrinkled but before she could open her mouth again he was sitting up and wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "You always fucking surprise me."

"What?" Maka was clutching to him, almost refusing to believe this reaction.

"I would have killed them," he muttered. "Without even considering the why. It would have been revenge with no second thought. But for all the rushing you do, you actually took the second to think of them and that's… something that makes you great."

"What?" she repeated incredulously as she pulled Soul away by the shoulders. "They could have killed you."

"And you decided what you read from them was bigger than that," Soul shook his head. "I'm not going to doubt you."

A weak laugh tumbled from her lips as she clutched into his skin. "I thought… You know I don't know what I thought I just… you know I was going to _try_ to talk to you about it tomorrow, I just couldn't… I almost doubted myself, my choice because being with you again brought back how painful that time was."

"Is that what the letter was about?" Soul eased her fingers from his shoulders, trying to coax her into squeezing a little less tightly in his own hands.

She nodded before letting in a shaking breath, "Spirit found out I was here and sent me… _something_."

"Something?" Soul had no hopes of mimicking her tone.

"I told you the two of you didn't get along," she punctuated with a roll of her eyes. "And I may not have let him know that I left Marie's or participated in the contest at all."

"Or got married?" Soul felt the necessity to add.

"Yes," Maka squeaked.

Soul could not think of an appropriate reaction so he risked a laugh.

"Soul," she scolded weakly.

He shrugged with a grin, "Looks like my mother isn't going to be the only pain in the ass."

She could laugh at that and he was happy to see some of the tension melt, her tight shoulders finally relaxing. "But the good news for you is that he can't really leave since, well, he's been the one taking care of Crona. But if you'd like to read his rant about our nuptials, you're free to." Maka took away one of her hands to dig under her pillow, bringing the letter back with her and pressing it into Soul's palm she left behind.

Against his better judgment, Soul opened the letter, letting his eyes scan over the opening pleasantries that spoke to a father's undying love for his daughter. The shift at the mention of Soul's name was a drastic jump off the highest cliff.

" _I'm surprised that ass didn't leave you at the altar since that's all he's good for, abandoning you at the first inconvenience."_

Soul forced a breath but he could feel the color starting to creep up his neck.

" _To think that my sweet little girl is going to have the grovel around in utter misery since her husband is a selfish, vacant white-haired freak."_

His fingers dimpled the edge of the letter, pulling the paper taunt as the color reached his cheeks.

" _If he were here I'd beat him to a pulp, prince or no."_

"Listen here, _old man_ ," Soul hissed in futility at the paper.

"I see you remember him." Maka tugged helplessly at the letter as Soul peppered through a few more curses. "Soul, give it up, please."

His eyes snapped up to hers as he waved the letter at her. "And he says I'm the ass?"

Maka laughed softly as she finally got it out of his grasp. "Like I said, you and he did not get along. At the very least I'm lucky that he didn't get wind of that promise I made."

"Or else he'd have something to say about his possible _white-haired freak_ grandchildren," Soul spat.

She bit her tongue to keep the chuckle from leaving her lips. "More likely he'd attempt some kind of kidnapping to preserve my honor. But give him some time. He'll soften. He always does. I assume everyone does when faced with a child to love."

Soul grunted but it turned more towards clearing his throat as his free hand grasped hers.

"I know that face," Maka squeezed his hand. "We already went over one worry tonight before bed but I'll give you a second if you need it."

"Not that, just…" He worked his jaw for a moment of silence. "It's still too early to tell, isn't it?"

A beautiful, understanding smile passed across her lips, "Yes, two weeks is entirely too early. If you'd like, I can go to the temple after a month but I doubt there's anything Mira could tell me. Maybe two, three months before you can claim with any certainty."

He played with her fingers nervously as he sighed.

"It's definitely nowhere near a year yet, Soul," she reminded him softly.

"I know."

"But at the end of the first month I'll go," she nudged him.

"You don't have to," he sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.

Maka leaned in, waiting for him to bridge the gap and kiss her sweetly. He didn't disappoint. "It'll be a nice way to see Mira again either way."

"Thanks," he murmured.

"We should try to get back to sleep." She offered him one more kiss before laying back down in bed, blinking up at him as he stayed put. "Or are you going to go play?"

"I might write your father a reply," Soul's lips soured but were threatening a smirk.

"Soul," she chided.

"I'm serious, ' _a selfish, vacant-'_ "

"Let it go," Maka laughed as she tugged on his elbow, causing it to collapse and sending him halfway to lay down next to her. "Come here."

"Come where?" He glanced around the bed.

"Here," she patted her hand to her chest and he raised his eyebrows. "To _sleep_ ," she added with a roll of her eyes.

He huffed as he rested his head on her chest, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her tightly to him. It wasn't hard for his heart to start to unwind as she let her hand smooth over his shoulders and down his back, her warm fingers easing every muscle. "I'm still going to reply. Tomorrow."

"I think you'll be very busy tomorrow," Maka's matter-of-fact tone was interrupted by a yawn.

Soul grunted as he planted a kiss against her skin. "As if I'd abandon you," he muttered.

"I wouldn't dare imagine." Maka brought her other hand to his mouth, pressing against his lips. " _Sleep_."


	17. Chapter 17

Maka never had an organ, so clearing her head with music had never been an option. Instead, she opted for a sword. At first, the trainees were resistant, and that was putting it nicely. The idea that they could possibly injure their princess was first and foremost in most of the young men's minds since that kind of behavior would most likely end with their heads on a pike. Or it would if Maka actually gave a damn.

This was one of the few times she would admit to being thankful for Black Star since there was no challenge he would refuse, especially in front of the group of men. Kilik and Ox looked on knowingly as this was a repeat but the other men seemed petrified, scared for their captain who was obviously treading into dangerous waters. She purposefully played it as recklessly as possible and Black Star never disappointed when it came to matching anyone's intensity.

At the first sign of blood, a simple split lip that Maka had barely noticed, the crowd erupted with unbridled nervous energy that honestly only added to her amusement. It wasn't until it was over and the two of them sat in the dust laughing that the men started to hum with a tentative interest.

"Not bad, princess," Black Star grinned. "Your prince knows you're fighting?"

"I invited him," Maka shrugged, "but he was meeting with the King."

Black Star looked out at the men now falling back to their own practice as the show had ebbed out. "That's been happening more often."

"Yes," Maka caught the rest, sure that this kind of conversation needed walls to keep outside ears away. "Perhaps tonight the two of you can discuss that after dinner in your regular fashion."

He whistled in reply, "You mean heir-making duties can be put on hold for tonight?"

In the circumstances, Maka fell back to brute force, slapping the back of his head.

"Hey," Black Star grumbled. "You can't do that in front of my men."

"Then keep our bedroom behaviors out of your mind," Maka hissed.

He snorted derisively, "I have my own _bedroom behaviors_ to worry about."

"Disgusting," Maka shook her head.

The humor fell from his lips as he settled unintelligible eyes on her. "First month's almost up though, isn't it?"

"In a week I'll go back to the temple," Maka tried to cover the growing anxiety in her gut with a sigh. "As if that's any of your business."

"Definitely not," Black Star tried to produce a rough laugh. "Just…" his eyes glanced around the field before he leaned closer to her. "I expect a new kind of problem when it's no longer _making_ an heir."

Maka let her voice drop to almost nothing, "Pregnancy can be dangerous."

"In more ways than one," Black Star glanced out casually again but when his eyes came back to her they were hard. "You done sparring?"

"I guess so… why?" She watched as Black Star stood slowly, his hand making a strange wave that Kilik and Ox caught almost instantly.

"Come this way." Black Star didn't wait for her, walking into the throngs of men back towards the barracks. Kilik and Ox pulled in tightly next to her as they continued to the door. It was only then that they split, and Maka watched them for a moment as they seemed to circle the perimeter. As soon as she was in the door, Maka turned and let her eyes scan the surroundings but Black Star was always a step ahead, the way the door to the captain's room in the barracks was arranged in such a way that led to very little view of comings and goings. It would be a blind spot for anyone even walking by.

Maka entered the door and for a moment the fear melted away, crushed by the well-spring of joy that tittered in her chest. "Stein," she just reined in the cry as she dashed further into the room.

"Nice to see you, Maka," Stein accepted her embrace with a soft hand on her head. "Or should I be calling you princess now?"

"Only Black Star has to," she laughed as she considered how much longer she'd be allowed the hug. No one would ever call Stein a soft man, but if there was one weakness in him it was for the people he actually let into his life, the children he fostered, the one he helped create, and the one woman he served. "But what are you doing here? And does that mean Marie's here as well?" Maka was hopeful for normal answers to both of those questions but as she parted from Stein the look on his face squashed that.

"I'm not here," Stein assured her.

"Technically, he's in the north with the soldiers _you_ sent," Black Star corrected.

Maka let a weak puff of air leave her lips, "Which means something is happening."

"Something is always happening," Stein smiled as he settled down into one of the chairs at the war table. "Sit down, won't you?"

She exchanged a glance with Black Star who didn't seem interested in meeting her eyes before sitting down next to Stein. In an instant, she had cleared away the last of her dreams of a simple visit and tried to channel Soul. "What did you find in the samples we sent you?"

"Urdan root in the food, just as you expected," Stein nodded thoughtfully. "But your girl, Kim, expected as much with the information she's gathered. She passed along something else unexpected, that there's also been parmin flower being dried. It was in that mysterious tea you received."

"And that means?" Maka pressed.

"That your physician is suspicious and has upped the ante." While usually his eyes were nothing more than pale green pools, Maka saw the storm churning in them. "She expects not just to keep you from getting pregnant but to terminate anything that might have slipped her watch."

Maka rubbed a hand across her face as she inhaled slowly a few times. "If I had expected _this_ was how I was going to be fighting a witch…"

Stein offered a sharp laugh. "I expect this is the strangest way, but you've both been smart to bide your time. While I'm sure it doesn't seem this way to you, she's yet to do anything particularly drastic. Keep it that way. Play the fools. But we have to consider your moves for when a pregnancy is announced." He narrowed his eyes as his mouth gaped momentarily but he instead waved a hand at her.

Maka risked a glance at Black Star who was still feigning disinterest, leaning against the wall. "Between Black Star, Soul, and I, is it really all that much more dangerous? Considering poisoning has been her main method, I assume it'll be more tea attempts."

"Don't underestimate how incapacitating pregnancy can be," he threw at her coldly. "And don't underestimate how much that pregnancy will put a fire under the witch. She wants and needs you gone in order to control Soul. I hope you realize she knows about your talent."

Maka shook her head slowly, "I haven't-"

"Marie told me what happened during the betrothal, the black blood transmission," Stein raised an eyebrow. "The witch was there for that. We can only deduce that she's smart enough to connect the dots."

She sighed, "I didn't have a choice."

"I'm not blaming you," Stein chuckled. "Just stating what should be obvious. His black blood has something to do with the Madness which is obvious from the samples of what she's been trying to make him drink, but I'm interested in the dream demon you said comes along with it. I've made something that I'd like you to get him to take and then between the two of you, you should make an effort to tap into that demon."

"You think it's safe?" Maka raised her eyebrows.

"Well," Stein shrugged.

"Did you tell Marie about it?" She offered with a huff.

"No," Stein grinned.

"Then not entirely safe," Maka rolled her eyes, "but you think it'll make him stronger?"

Stein nodded, that smile growing on his lips.

"Then we try it." Maka put out her hand, waiting as Stein turned to his bag and fiddled through it. He took out a sleeve of vials and handed the entire thing to her.

"Dose him once a week."

"If he agrees," Maka tempered the comment.

Stein sighed before taking his hand off of the stash. "Express that he'll need to be strong because I believe the two of you will have to part ways soon."

A little, delirious laugh left Maka's mouth, "No, Stein, that's ridiculous. Why would I leave him? I-" The panic fluttering in her chest cut her off. It was a desperate bird clacking against her ribs at the idea of that loss, the separation that she feared the most.

With as much emotion as a surgical slice, Soul served out her fate, "The safest thing for you is to go into hiding after the pregnancy is formally announced."

' _No'_ wanted to immediately rush from her mouth and the muscles in her neck strained to keep it there. "I doubt the kingdom would agree to me being hidden away." The words felt alien and it was as if she weren't speaking them, the idea causing her to split.

"I still have some ideas to iron out, but…" Stein glanced at Black Star. "You'd be kidnapped. Obviously, it would be an arrangement that we put together and Black Star would be in charge of finding you as Soul's captain, but really he'd be protecting you."

Maka turned an accusatory glare towards Black Star, finding that barely-there attention on his face. "And you agreed to this already?"

"I do what I have to," Black Star shrugged.

The blame was easy to swell in his direction and Maka was helpless against the feeling. "Were you even going to tell him?"

"Don't lose your temper," Stein spoke for Black Star as he maintained his stillness. "I plan to meet him tonight when he leaves for his usual drinking round with Black Star."

"Which _you_ already OKed, princess," Black Star chuckled.

Maka worked the idea between her teeth, her jaw tightening as she glanced between both men. "And I would go where?"

"Yet to be decided," Stein shrugged. "Think about it yourself and discuss it with your husband after our meeting."

"I didn't agree to this yet," Maka reminded him softly.

"Surprising, since you usually like the head-first jump," Stein grinned. "They say marriage matures you."

Black Star scoffed.

Maka barely bit her tongue before she sighed out, "I want to think about it."

Stein nodded but a sharp finger hit the desk. "You have limited time, but obviously it hinges on you, so you will make the final decision."

"Fine," Maka murmured. "I… if you'll excuse me." She stood quickly but Stein's hand shot out, grabbing her by the wrist.

His other hand was stuffed in his bag again and he produced folded paper and pressed it into her palm. "A letter from Marie."

"Thank you." Maka closed her fingers around the parchment and brought it to join the vials in her other hand. With her freed hand, Maka clutched Black Star's arm. "Bring him before dinner. He can miss it. I can't see him again until you discuss this with him."

"Got it," Black Star patted her hand but she wrenched it away as she quickly made her exit. He watched her go before turning to Stein. "Well, that went _great_."

"As expected," Stein shrugged. "Soul will see it rationally."

"Yeah, until she's _actually_ pregnant. Then I'm not sure how logical he's going to be either," Black Star sighed.

Stein grinned and Black Star felt his skin crawl, "She _is_ pregnant."

Black Star started the laugh but it stuck in his throat. "You don't know that."

"Her soul perception powers aren't strong enough yet since it's so faint," Stein nodded, "but give her a month, maybe two and she'll see the extra soul she's carrying just as clear as I do."

"Shit," Black Star muttered as he flexed his hand into a fist at his side. "You going to tell him?"

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Stein raised an eyebrow.

"Fuck if I know," Black Star barked back. "I wish you didn't even tell _me_ , damn it."

Stein chuckled, "You can keep a secret, can't you?"

* * *

All of this was incredibly fishy. Not only was Black Star trying to talk him into carousing _before_ dinner, but Maka was nowhere to be found to make any insistence against it. _Then Black Star has the nerve to claim that Maka OKed it? If it wasn't my best friend leading, I'd assume I'm getting assassinated._ But even with that, Soul gave in and started down the winding corridors. He was surprised to be led to the barracks, but Black Star had been known to stash goods in his command center and at least it spoke to Soul doing work instead of play.

He tried to be jovial with the soldiers on the walkthrough but Black Star's silence was starting to eat at him. Maybe, for once, it was going to be Black Star that needed to vent and Soul was oddly pleased with the idea of a reversal. That was until Black Star motioned him through the door. Soul's reaction wasn't entirely far off from Maka's, since a strange wave of joy hit him as he saw Stein's face again, but it was completely tempered and held at bay by reality. "If you're here, something's wrong."

"See?" Stein motioned towards Soul while smirking at Black Star. "Rational."

"Which means you've already talked to Maka," Soul sighed.

"Unfortunately," Black Star grumbled.

"What's that mean?" Soul nudged him.

"Soul, have a seat." Stein motioned towards the chair next to him, created an unsettling deja vu for Black Star.

Soul cleared his throat before following orders and collapsing into the chair, "Should I say it's nice to see you?"

"Well, I'll admit I'm happy to see you," Stein shrugged. "You're in much better health than the last time we were together."

Soul sucked his teeth, "Yeah, I'm at least doing better than mostly dead."

"And I hear your memory is coming back?"

He hesitated before nodding, letting his fingers clench into the top of his pants. "Yeah, with Maka's help and without the potions."

"This _illness_ of yours is so interesting," Stein leaned on his elbows and Soul felt the chill of those analytical eyes. "It's like Madness, goes hand in hand with it, but so much more."

The tingle of searching back in his mind prickled the goosebumps on his neck. "Madness… that's what _you_ have, right?"

"Well, we can all be taken by the Madness," Stein hurried through the words nonchalantly. "Some are just more susceptible than others. While I am, it also makes me much stronger but can lead to me not exactly being under my own control. I heard you had something similar happen."

"Yes," Soul answered sharply but offered no more. That memory he would prefer to bury even if sometimes in his dreams he relived the hand around her neck.

"Which is why Maka's going to work with you on harnessing it. I think there are some interesting possibilities." While the excitement of a new experiment always brightened Stein's face, his enthusiasm faltered. "But there's more we should talk about while we still have time."

Soul paused, risking a glance at Black Star. "I'm guessing you've already been briefed on this too, then?"

"I know what I need to," Black Star shrugged.

"I don't like secrets," Soul pushed again.

Black Star's lips curled into a frown, "And I don't like keeping them, so shut up and listen to Stein."

Begrudgingly, Soul followed the order. Stein didn't delineate, giving the same cold and calculated plan that he had given to Maka as Soul's hands clenched tighter into fists. "I didn't tell her where I plan on sending her since, well, I think that would have tipped her over the edge and she was already obviously displeased with me."

"So you lied to her?" Soul grimaced.

Stein bubbled out a bit of a manic laugh. "Technically, no, since I told her that nothing was concrete, and it's not. I told her to discuss it with you and perhaps both of you would decide. I think if you suggested it, not me, she'd be more amiable."

That settled in Soul's stomach like a rock. "So what do you need me to convince her to do?"

"To go to her father's," Stein grinned.

"Spirit?" Soul scoffed. "What, so he can think I'm shirking my responsibility again? That asshole-"

Black Star stifled his laugh but Stein did not, "I see you remember each other well. Which will give her even more incentive to listen if her rational, calm husband tells her that she should return home for safety even if he doesn't feel welcome in that home."

"Well, I wouldn't be going with her anyway, would I?" Soul snapped. "You expect me to let my pregnant wife travel a month's worth of distance with _just_ my captain of the guard with her to her jackass of a father's house for, what, the rest of her pregnancy? While I sit here and do what exactly?"

"Hey, I would like to say that obviously, the only protection she needs _is me_ , thank you very much," Black Star grumbled.

Soul shot him a glare, " _Fine_ , but again, for how long? And what the hell am I doing other than missing my wife and my child _that could be born without me_ ," he finished in a strangled hiss.

"Babies are born without their fathers all the time," Black Star scoffed only to receive a dedicated punch to the gut from Soul. He grumbled through the ' _oof'_ that expelled from his throat.

"For as long as it takes us to get rid of the problem here," Stein shrugged.

Soul balked as his stomach clenched tighter. "You mean, you and me take on Medusa while Black Star and Maka stay safe?"

"Well," Stein grinned. "I assume it will end up much more complicated than that, but… I'll need you to make a likeness of Medusa. You still draw, don't you?"

"I do, I can, but what does that have to do with anything?" Soul barely muddled through the words.

"I have a feeling that Medusa's meddling might go back further than just you returning to the castle. So humor me, make me the drawing tonight because I'll have to be leaving tomorrow." The palpable joy on Stein's face wore at both of the boys and Soul continued to fight against his stomach turning into a knot. "Other than that, I'll need you to also convince Maka to leave you. She didn't seem very sold on the idea."

Soul ground his teeth before looking back at Black Star. "You promise you'll keep her safe?"

"'Course. Who the hell do you think I am?" Black Star would have continued to preen if it wasn't for the anxiety on Soul's face. Instead, he planted a firm hand on Soul's shoulder. "I'm your best friend. So yeah, of course."

"I'll… try to convince her. I can say she'll agree but…" Soul sighed desperately. "I don't even really like the damn idea."

Stein tried to nod sympathetically. "But if we act quickly, there won't be much of a chance of you missing what you really want, the beginning of your family."

"Shit," Soul grumbled. "Fine, three months after we find out she's pregnant, once we get the temple to declare it…"

"Right," Stein nodded.

Black Star was relieved that Soul's eyes never fell to him.

"She's supposed to go next week, but she's said it's too early to tell," he muttered.

 _Please, shut up,_ Black Star begged in his head.

"Right. The earliest we'd possibly know is another month, maybe two," Stein was still nodding reassuringly and it was killing Black Star.

Soul strung along a few more curses under his breath before standing from the chair. "Like I said, I'll talk to her. I'll send the picture through Black Star later tonight."

"Again, it _was_ nice to see you." Stein stood and extended his hand, pumping gently after Soul took it.

Black Star hoped the agony on his face could convincingly be explained away by simply being empathetic and as Soul turned to him he was relieved to see him buy it. "Come by late tonight, music room," Soul murmured as he patted his shoulder and moved past him.

"Sure," Black Star barely managed. He waited, watching as Soul exited and the footsteps were no longer anywhere near them. "You didn't tell him!"

Stein shrugged, "Maybe I enjoy watching you squirm."


	18. Chapter 18

It was too early for her to be in bed but Maka was already curled in the sheets, trying to suck in air through the pillow. _Be rational. Be logical. He is your partner. You are both making this choice._ But as soon as the door opened she was up in a flash. "I won't go!" It was nothing more than childish fury that somehow only received a glum smile from him.

"I don't want you to go," he murmured as he moved closer to the bed one slow step at a time.

His face echoed her words back to her again. _Be rational. Be logical._ "But," she couldn't get further than that, the word cracking the rest of her voice.

"But," he nodded slowly. Soul made it to her, easing onto the bed close enough so that he could bury his hands in her hair to pull her close enough to plant a kiss on her forehead. "It makes sense."

A sharp sob cracked from her throat.

"Remember, neither of us is dying for the other, right?" He let his hands drift over her cheeks, clearing away what he could to leave just her red, swollen cheeks.

"Right," she murmured. "And if I stay, I'm putting myself in unnecessary danger."

"Exactly," he sighed. "So while I sure as hell don't want you away from me, if it's going to save you and our kid, I'm going to have to live with it."

"Me, too," she whimpered.

"And it fucking kills me to say it," Soul groaned as if some fictitious knife was stabbing his gut. "I think the where should be with Spirit."

There was no more need for tears, her ducts drying instantly as her mind tilted in disbelief. "What?"

"You said Crona was in a place where no one could find them, and that place was with your dad, so…" He gulped the rest down in a throat like sandpaper.

Maka let out a withering laugh, "Leave you to be with my father and the person who tried to kill you?" A second chuckle a little closer to delirious left her lips. "Sure, right, absolutely. Why don't I go stay with a man who hates you and a person who tried to kill you."

"Maka…" Soul risked putting a finger to her lips, finding those eyebrows furrowing at the interruption. "But I'm going to guess neither of them has a problem with _you_ and that's what's important. As long as you can promise they'll protect you like I think they will, then that's the first place that has my vote."

"Well, if Papa doesn't murder me for being pregnant," Maka muttered.

"You're married," Soul reminded.

"To you," she sighed.

"Remind him that red hair can skip a generation and maybe the kid'll look like him," Soul grumbled sourly.

Maka let a chuckle sneak out, "That might appease him."

"Bet he'll just love it," Soul continued under his breath. "Another example of me passing up on what I'm supposed to be doing."

"Soul," and the second laugh came a little easier.

"Making _him_ protect my wife instead of _me_ doing it _myself_."

"You are protecting me," she tried to hearten him with a soft kiss on his cheek.

Soul simmered back to his senses. "I gotta say: I think Stein has more planned than you just being hidden away. Leaving me ' _alone'_ here makes me think he's up to something."

"Probably is," Maka nodded, "but why did you say ' _alone'_ like that?"

"He said he's coming back to take care of the problem with me," Soul sighed.

Maka let out a weak groan, "He is up to something. Promise me you'll be careful."

"That's what I'm supposed to be making _you_ promise." He grinned as he ran his hands along her shoulders and down her arms. "But I have to say, I'm proud of you. You barely put up a fight."

"Wait until tomorrow," Maka mumbled.

"And the next day…" Soul leaned in and stole a kiss from her lips. "And maybe a month or two more. I know the idea feels final, but we can't send you away until the temple actually approves it and that's based on you actually being pregnant, so… month or so, maybe longer if we haven't been able to…" He motioned helplessly to tie that sentence to its end.

Maka nibbled at her lip, "What if we lied?"

"About what?" He blinked at her, hoping that the new focus would help him decode her face.

"I'm sure if I asked Mira she'd be willing to… move the process along." Maka placed her hands over his, pulling them into her lap with a squeeze. "The temple announces I'm pregnant and we move on with things as planned."

"You sayin' you're ready to leave me?" Soul laughed pitifully.

"Soul…" Maka sighed.

"Sorry," he paused to clear his throat, trying to tamper down that choking feeling. "What's good about speeding up the process?"

There was a tiny shred of hope bolstering this rational moment for her, even if that do-or-die jumping was urging her forward in the background. "The sooner we spring the trap, the sooner we get Medusa out. The sooner Medusa's gone, the better for you and I. We're running the risk of being poisoned every day. She's tried our food, our drink, and we can't predict what'll be next."

"But…" Soul paused to rub his thumbs over her knuckles, the idea blaring too loudly in his mind to let it loose without tempering it. "If you're not pregnant and you leave… we're cutting that year close. You'll take at least two months to travel back and forth not to mention whatever time you spend actually hiding out. What if that takes half the year and…"

Maka hated the morbidity of it all and the words tasted bitter on her tongue, "We could make the unfortunate argument that I lost the baby during the kidnapping. Or… well, I assume at that point you'll be King so the deal I made could be forgiven."

Soul grunted unintelligibly, stealing one of his hands away to rub over his face. He paused for a few breaths before sighing, "I like neither of those options."

"Well," Maka concentrated on his one hand, caressing it softly, "I'll talk to Mira, see if it's even an option. If not, we'll wait. If it is, maybe we'll have to give it more thought."

"Right." He stared at her frankly for a few breaths. His hand came back gently to her face, his thumb smudging at her lip. "What happened there?"

Maka snorted a laugh, "Just proving to the soldiers that your princess doesn't have to be treated with kid gloves. You missed a pretty good sparring session between Black Star and me."

"Sorry I couldn't see it," a grin finally split his lips, the worry losing a little of its hold on him. "Can't say I'm not enjoying a little more time with my father though."

Her smile in reply melted the rest of it away since the glow created a warmth in his chest that he couldn't deny. "You're allowed it, definitely. It's nice to have your family."

"Well, I'll have to tell Black Star to take it a little easier on mine," he nudged at her lip again. "Though, you want to know the truth?" Soul leaned closer and Maka found the way his eyes darted to her lips to be blush producing.

"What?" How he could still do it, make her breathless, she'd never know but there it was.

"When I watch you fight," he was smirking now, his lips daring to come closer, "it makes me even more fucking overjoyed that I get to kiss you because if I couldn't…" He finished that with a rough sigh as he captured her lips. Even with the split, he wasn't soft, finishing that idea with action rather than words. Maka was sure in a moment he would start to undress her and her hands were eager to help do the same, fingers floating almost instantly under his shirt. Instead, he eased away from her, another sigh parting his lips. "I have one more job today and…"

When she met his eyes, her chest fluttered. His eyes were still full of want but his touch was soft, loving, as his fingers moved for comfort against her neck rather than exhilaration. "And?"

Soul laughed softly, "If I start this now I'm afraid I'm never getting to it because all I want to do is make up for the time that I already know I'm going to miss."

* * *

Sweating wasn't normal for Black Star unless it was in the ring but just hitting the bottom of the staircase had him damp. _How am I going to even fucking look at him? Oh, fucking Stein!_ That curse rang on repeat as he pushed past the curtain. It was worse than he imagined, Soul not distracted by the keys but waiting patiently for his friend. "Here's the best I could do." Soul handed over the parchment.

"Great," Black Star replied tightly as he slipped it in his jerkin.

Soul eyed him, "Look, I'm not mad if that's what you're worried about."

"No," Black Star started to shake his head and let it go for too long.

More anxiety flared as Soul's eyebrow raised, "Then what's wrong with you?"

Black Star swallowed a groan before hiccuping out, "Nothing."

Soul let out a sharp laugh, "You're sweating."

"No," Black Star took a step back. _Just say it, just tell him, what's the worst that could happen, I mean, he's your best friend, and you know something important, and, and, and…_

"Is it the split lip?" Soul offered with a sharp laugh. "I know she was probably just as rough with you and she hates how the soldiers want to walk on eggshells around her so she doesn't give a damn. Not sayin' I want you to rough her up much more than that…"

"I can't," Black Star spat out. _Because how the hell am I ever supposed to hit a pregnant woman?_ "I mean, I _won't_."

"Huh," Soul leaned back against the bench. "You're being weird."

"You're fucking weird," Black Star threw up his hands as he turned. "I've got to deliver this to Stein."

"Hey," Soul grabbed at his sleeve, "If you need to talk about something-"

"Nope," Black Star bit the rest on the end of his tongue.

* * *

_My dearest Maka,_

_I had told myself that you were grown, that this decision was the best for all involved. I know that is not wrong, especially since I know you are happy (or at least I tell myself that you must be), but in my selfish little way, I hate it. I miss you like a mother misses a daughter because even if that adoption was part of some grander plan, you were always that to me._

_But that's not the point of this letter, and if that has spread tears on your cheeks, clear them because the next part will hopefully be as joyful for you as it has been for me. Apparently, as I was dropping off one child, I was carrying another. You'll have a little brother or sister on the way soon. I wish you could have seen Ben's reaction at the idea, but Stein's was very much the same as it always is. Something tells me he already knew just like he had with Ben since he didn't seem very surprised, but that's him._

_Again, it's selfish of me, but I hope I do get to see you soon, or at least when the baby is born. I hate closing with such a dark thought, but please burn this letter once you've read it. It's not so much that I care about my own reputation since we both know the whispers, but I would hate if that could somehow become a problem for you too._

_All my love to you and to Soul,_

_Marie_

Maka had read through it at least three or four times, taking breaks between each read to clear the almost continual tears from her cheeks while she waited for Soul to return.

When he did, she barely got a word out before his brow furrowed and his hands were reaching for her, tumbling into bed next to her to get close enough. "If I had known you'd get like this I would have told you to come down with me. Black Star was acting so weird anyway, maybe it would have given you a laugh."

"It's not _bad_ ," she barely reassured him with the sigh that accompanied it. "Just news from Marie."

"Which made you cry," Soul replied skeptically before planting a soft kiss on her lips.

She tried to keep him there but saw the futility as he purposefully trapped her in his gaze instead. "She said some sweet things about loving me like a daughter and… well, Marie is pregnant again and the last time I was there for her and now…"

"Again?" Soul raised his eyebrows.

"Oh," Maka let out a short laugh, "You missed that. It was… maybe a few months after you left that she realized she was and had a boy, Benjamin. The perfect replica of Stein in every way, even a bit of his mood. Maybe a little less quiet, but still very analytical like his father."

"When did they marry?" Soul could almost laugh at the idea since the bits that he did remember had always left him doubtful that the two were even courting. Besides that day that Maka had insisted they get flowers in order for Stein to give to Marie, he couldn't think of much more of a romantic moment between the two.

Maka blinked at him in disbelief, "They didn't." She paused for a moment and shook her head, "You know they can't, don't you?"

Soul's lip curled into a frown, "They can't?"

"Marie's a lady," Maka had to force the incredulity from her voice. "Stein's technically a commoner, even if he's the captain of her guard."

"Why does that matter?"

The effortless way Soul offered that forced her to prop up on her elbow, her eyebrows furrowing as she looked down at him. "For the same reason it mattered that Marie had to adopt me, make me a lady, to even make me eligible to be in the contest in the first place. It's the same reason that the first day I thought I was out because 'commoner' came from your mother's lips. Station matters."

"But I would guess that they love each other," Soul was still balking, even at Maka's rationality.

"Which is why they risk everything to hide a family away," Maka murmured.

"That…" Soul let out a frustrated grunt as the wheels obviously started turning in his brain.

"It's horrible, yes," Maka attempted to finish for him but that didn't seem to abate the crease in his forehead or the apparent disquiet of his mind. "Soul…"

"I'll fix it," he finally spat as he stood up and slipped away from her, moving towards the desk.

"You'll _what_?" Maka sat up quickly but she supposed all the tears had left her with fatigue that seemed to stick her to the bed.

"I can fix it," he repeated as he took out some parchment and his pen.

She watched him scratch away for a moment before she found her voice again, "How?"

He paused as he dipped the quill back into the ink. "Look, we talked about making replacements on the war council, right?"

"Yes." Regardless of the wonder, her mind was already jumping ahead, her heart starting to thump preemptively.

"You have to be a lord to be on that council," Soul continued as he only paused to write another line, "but it's not unheard of to elevate a soldier, especially one who has already moved up the ranks, to a lordship title for that purpose. I can double-check that but I'm pretty sure when I was reading up on all those stupid old rules about being prince I saw something like that. So, formally offer Stein the position with the lordship incentive. Easy. No one will probably even throw a fit, not even mother."

The tears should have all run out at that point but they hit Maka's cheeks again. "Thank you."

"Don't," Soul grumbled back. "I shouldn't even _have_ to do this." He punctuated that with a firm hit of the pen against the paper before jabbing it back into the inkwell.

"But, still, thank you," she murmured.

He sighed as he turned his head back to her. His lips were still pressed into a tight frown and his words came out like an order, "Again, don't. Let's… I don't even know if we _can_ , but let's just try to get rid of the whole damn thing when we can, alright? Fucking forget this station bullshit once we're King and Queen."

Maka furrowed her brows, "I'm not even sure that's possible, Soul. How would we ever…"

"Well…" He strode back to the bed, planting his hands so he could lean closer to her face. "When our son or daughter, unfortunately, takes after me," Soul paused just long enough to let her insert a laugh, "and falls in love with a beautiful, talented, courageous commoner, neither of us will give a damn. Deal?"

She let out another soft giggle before touching his cheek and tempting him closer for a kiss. "Deal."

* * *

Mira had tried to get word out to Yaara, even though she knew that was an impossible dead end since the princess's pursuit of early answers were beyond anything that she or any of the other current priestesses were capable of. She was writing another useless letter when Sid peeked his head into their bedroom. "An old friend's here, Mira."

For a moment her hopes spun tightly that Yaara had seen the fault in her actions but that all fizzled away as she stepped into the kitchen and saw the figure warming at the hearth. "Stein," she let half a grin hit her face. "You're far from home."

"We've got an interesting development," Stein finished her grin for her and then some. "Also, I've heard you've run into _another old friend_."

"And where did you hear that tall-tale from?" Mira circled to the table, sitting as she let her eyes calmly fall on that manic grin.

Stein rolled his shoulders with ease, "Just whispers on the wind, I guess. And it was stupid of me to think you'd say yes or no. I guess I'll just end that subject with this: If you see her again, remind her that she's a mother not just some shadowy hunter. No matter what Spirit did, Maka shouldn't be punished."

"You're protective of her," Mira raised an eyebrow. "The Stein I used to know-"

"Was a mad-man," Stein nodded as if in sympathy for that memory. "Maybe we should say I have moments of clarity now."

Mira tapped a finger thoughtfully into the table, examining the way he held her stare. "Then what's the development?"

"Maka's pregnant," Stein offered as easily as an observation on the weather.

She didn't even allow for a blink or a breath, "It's too early."

"Did you forget that I see souls just as well as her mother?"

"It's too early," Mira repeated.

"It was very faint, but it was there," Stein added no more emphasis but splayed his fingers as if to cast off her doubt.

Mira huffed as her tapping increased. "And what would you like me to do with that information?"

His grin faded away and the cold calculation that Mira was used to graced his face. "The temple should vouch for the pregnancy, make a grand announcement."

There was a final thud to her finger as Mira dug her nail into the wood. "After just a month? Do you know how unbelievable that is?"

"It's a hard sell, but I believe Maka will be asking you to lie for her anyway if she's as smart as I think she is. I can guess she's told you about the physician, and the longer we all wait the harder it is to dig out a witch." Stein paused before a harsh laugh came from his mouth, "And maybe that will finally flush out her mother."

"Is that your end goal?" Mira murmured.

"My end goal is for all of these children to survive," there was a strange venom to his voice that cooled Mira's blood.

"And this announcement, you're sure it's not just putting her in more danger?" Mira sighed.

Stein lowered his voice, edging somewhere close to a mutter, "I can hope."


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **sexual content ahead**

Maka was fiddling with the potion bottle between her fingers, waiting for him to wake. Liz had already stuck her head in once but Maka had waved her away. She'd gotten a knowing smile and wink in return but that wasn't exactly her plan for the morning. Today was her visit to the temple and even though that should be her focus, it was on that other part of Stein's plan, that part that made her worry for Soul's safety almost as much as hers. Just as she tapped it against the desk she heard the sheets rustling. "I thought I told you to wake me up this morning," he grumbled.

"It's not that late yet," she murmured before turning back towards the bed, vial in hand. "But I'm glad you're awake."

He eyed the mixture between her fingers as he sat up on his elbows. "You had me all excited for a second."

Maka snorted, "You're insatiable."

"It's _you_ ," he answered back flatly.

"Are you done flattering me?" Maka was attempting to furrow her eyebrows in annoyance but the blush on her cheeks was thwarting it easily.

"Depends," Soul smirked. "How much more of a blush can I get out of you this morning?"

"Soul," she rolled her eyes.

He chuckled, "Give me a break, Maka. Today's the day and all I can think about is that there's a good chance you're going to be out of my reach for months."

"I know," she murmured and started to fold, getting up from her seat and moving back towards the bed.

"And you know it's not just your body," he sighed helplessly before reaching out a hand for her, beckoning her until she had a knee on the bed. "I… only feel that calm with you. The quiet in my head is always because you're with me and I haven't had _one_ nightmare since you've been sleeping in my bed."

Even with the sweetness, she signed forlornly, and instead of producing her lips on his, she hovered the potion between the two of them. "That's why I want you to try to take this today."

"What is it?" That didn't stop him from taking it from her, opening the lid, and letting the sour fragrance hit him with a crinkle of his nose.

Maka pressed it closer to him and Soul let the momentum take it to his lips even before the explanation. "Stein made it for you, and he's made one for each week for the next few months."

"To keep me _normal_?" Soul scoffed before he shot the liquid back. It tasted like the swamp on a hot day and Soul forced his lips shut to keep from heaving.

Maka echoed with a sharp laugh, "I don't think either of us will ever be _normal_ , but… I told you that maybe this could be controlled, not just tamped down and if I have to leave you, I want to see if we can both get stronger before I do."

Soul closed the lid as he smacked his lips together, trying to clear the flavor from his mouth. "Well, at the very least my stomach's going to have to get stronger."

She grabbed the vial from his grip and threw it uselessly on the bed before crawling on top of him. Soul happily accepted her, letting her press him back into the sheets as her body fit against his. With her face pressed to the crux of his neck, she whispered, "Promise me after you drop me off this morning you'll rest."

"Why's that?" He ran his fingers through her hair, arranging it on her back so he could smooth through it again.

"I trust Stein, but I'm still worried," she sighed hotly against his skin. "If something strange happens-"

"It won't," he reassured her with a kiss to her shoulder. "But what's the next part? I know it's not just taking the potion."

"Tomorrow, you and I, well, I guess the closest thing to call it is meditating." Maka lifted her head, staring into those red orbs and trying to let them ground her. "Your soul is going to resonate with my soul. It should work, the two of us being so close, and if it does, maybe I can help you with that demon."

"Another one of your talents?"

"Well," Maka nibbled at her lip for a moment. "It'll be the first time I'm trying it. I know my mother could do it, she did with my father, but I've never tried. It's mostly because you have to be extremely close, compatible, to be able to do this, so…"

"I'll take that as a compliment," he nipped at her lips and pulled her in for a slow, lingering kiss. "So if we're able to _resonate_ tomorrow that means you really made the right choice marrying me, huh?"

Maka snorted a laugh as she ran her fingers through his hair, clearing it off his forehead to clearly see his face. "I already know I made the right choice."

"Good answer," he smirked as he captured her lips again only to have to let out an annoyed grunt as she pulled away. "You have to get going?"

"Soon." She let her hand travel from his hair to his cheek, in a strange way trying to memorize how the skin felt under her fingertips because her mind was whispering a truth to her that she didn't want: _If you go today the order will be to go away. You'll leave him. He won't be yours again for a few months at least or maybe even forever._

"Can I ask you a stupid question?" His hands were drifting down her arms, and tucking into her waist, holding her against him.

"Was that the stupid question?" she teased with half a smile on her lips.

Soul laughed sharply, "Look, do you… do you _feel_ different?" Maka was trying to process the question but her breath hitched instead as one of his hands drifted to her stomach, trying to force between the two of them to touch at it. "I know it's impossible, I know you told me we'd have to wait, but in your gut, literally, right now, what do you think?"

Maka sighed sweetly as a weak smile spread across her lips, "I think I want to tell you that of course there's a child in there, but that's because I want you to feel the comfort of knowing that I'm safe, that my promise is fulfilled, and it's just a matter of getting it safe enough here to come back. When I saw Stein I thought… well, I thought he'd tell me because he had said he knew the week after that Ben was on his way."

His eyebrows furrowed. "How?"

"The feeling I get for souls, Stein has it probably a hundred times stronger than me. He's like my mother, well-practiced. I see maybe a little puff of flame," Maka paused to poke at Soul's chest, "maybe some finer details with concentration and effort but Stein sees a cloud, an entire existence around a person that tells him almost exactly what he needs to know."

Soul's eyes went wide as he pursed his lips for a low whistle. "You think you could get to that level?"

"Eventually, if I work hard enough," Maka nodded. "But, that being said, when I look at myself…" she shimmied her hand next to his, "I don't see anything there, Soul. And while that's not a hundred percent clear sign that I'm not… it means that again, still, we'll really have to wait to tell."

He sighed roughly but his eyes looked up at her expectantly, his lip quivering slightly. "Will you hate me if I hope you just need a little more practice at that soul perception stuff?"

Maka's lip curled inquisitively. "Why would I hate you?"

"Because maybe I'm saying you're just not as good at it as Stein," Soul shrugged, "and Stein not telling you wouldn't surprise me in the least."

She let a few laughs flutter from her lips as she shook her head. "You're unbelievable, you know that? Most people would give the advice to agree with your wife."

"I don't want to, not on this." His hands moved to cup her cheeks, shaking what little amusement she had away as his eyes started to smolder. "Mostly because I'm not sure I'm asking, thinking about it because of your damn deal, Maka. I know if it wasn't for that we'd probably be waiting, figuring out the world first but… the more I think about it, just the regular side of it, you as their mother, their teacher, their everything, the more I know I just want it."

"Soul…" Maka was floundering, her eyes filling with tears but her mouth void of words.

"Not to say I'm not worried about what that kid's gonna be," his voice strangled slightly and he had to clear his throat. "I know there's still a chance for trouble but I try to remember what you said, that if it's you and me we'll be able to see it through. So no matter what you fucking do," he urged with his fingers, his eyes, his voice, "just don't have this baby without me, you got it?"

"I'll try," she murmured.

"Thanks," he managed a trembling smile.

"Soul, I…" Maka couldn't wait anymore, pressing her lips to his to erase the unsure smile. She could feel it straightening against her lips, especially as her fingers moved to clutch at his wrists and keep him holding on to her. "I made the right choice."

* * *

Maka had expected nakedness, herbs, and quite possibly a lecture of some kind but instead, this was turning into a strange afternoon tea. Besides a laundry-list of physical questions, some of them feeling connected while others completely odd and out of the blue, Mira was silent. This left the examination as nothing more than mental and Maka was sure she was breaking under the pressure. Somehow, she was on the verge of tears, completely unsure how she'd gotten there but entirely positive that one more question would push forth the deluge.

"Have you been crying more often lately?" The question came with ease but it did exactly as Maka expected. The breath hiccuped from her throat and the first wave hit her cheeks. Mira sighed in reply before standing and going to her work table. "I think we need a different tea for today."

"What does that mean?" Maka managed to squeeze from her throat.

Mira threw a soft smile over her shoulder, "It means that our pot is currently empty, and maybe if I made something a little more calming you'd be able to ask the question that's been on the tip of your tongue since you got here."

Maka let out a shaking sigh before she leaned on her elbows to press her palms to her face. She let them rub there as the sounds of water and Mira's bustling throbbed in her ears. This continued until the pot clacked against the table again and Maka slowly peeked her eyes through her fingers. "Would it harm the baby? I know some of the tranquilizing teas…"

"If you were pregnant I'd actually suggest it." Mira slid the pot closer as she leaned back in her chair.

" _If_ ," Maka repeated with a laugh that wanted to be a moan. "Even I know it's too early to tell. I thought I was doing this to make Soul feel better, but…"

"There's a more difficult purpose," Mira nodded her head slowly.

"Mira…" Maka started but felt the words dry and crumble in her mouth. Instead, she reached for the pot and poured the liquid that filled her space with a floral, grassy aroma. She took a moment to inhale the scent before letting her exhale cool the surface. "I told you that I'm sure we're in danger. That the physician-"

"Yes," Mira cut off quickly. "But I assume you've yet to get more proof and need to draw her to the open."

Maka nodded feebly before taking a sip, hoping for some instantaneous reprieve from the churning in her stomach. "And the sooner the better. Which means I'll need you to announce a royal pregnancy now rather than waiting."

Mira sighed as her fingers flexed into the table, chipping at the wood grain. Even knowing the request was coming hadn't aided in creating a decision and her thoughts were still in a cloud. "What do you think will happen if I agree to this?"

"I can't be sure," Maka murmured. "I think… I hope that even though I know Stein and Soul expect her to do something here that she'll be stupid enough to follow me because I'll kill her." With the strength of those words, the quivering in her stomach stilled, her eyes flicking coldly to Mira. "She's hurt him and while it sounds selfish and childish she kept him from me. I won't forgive that."

While Mira's eyes did soften at Maka's stern reply, her voice came back just as spitting. "And you think that's possible while you're carrying your precious heir?"

"I don't think I'm carrying an heir," Maka sighed. "And maybe it's better that way."

Mira chewed this over before relaxing her fingers on the table. "I will agree to this on one condition."

Maka fidgeted in her seat, ready to promise anything but tempering it with thoughts of Soul. _Don't make another split decision without him._ "What is it?"

"You will start acting like you are," Mira ended that with a slow release of air from her throat.

She shook her head as if she needed to loosen the wax in her ears. "Like I'm what?"

"You're pregnant," Mira tried to offer that as flatly as possible. "As far as we're both concerned from this moment on you are. You're to act like you are. Be as careful as a woman carrying a child would be."

For a fleeting moment, Maka believed it. Those words had somehow made it true and it settled in her like a reality, but, again, that was only for a few seconds before she breathed in the alternate surety that this would just be an act. "I will do my best."

Mira nodded slowly before reaching a hand across the table, taking Maka's softly. "You will act tired. You will allow yourself to cry at the slightest thing. You will complain of headaches, back pain, and dizziness. Fainting is also an option. If you bleed, hide it as best you can because at this point you should be dry."

Maka noted her cues, trying to imagine the times and places to fit them. "When will you make the announcement?"

"I will express concern that you're showing signs early." Mira drew a timeline with her finger along the table. "Then I will call you back in three weeks and go through a real examination."

"This wasn't…" Maka didn't bother to finish because Mira shook her head.

"The next day I will make the official proclamation in front of the entire royal court."

A sigh forced between Maka's teeth as she closed her eyes. "How do they stand their lives as such a show? I want to beg for you to do it in private, but that would be against the point, wouldn't it?"

"Very much so." Mira's smile helped to abate some of the shame of it all. "Then whatever happens after that will be entirely on you."

"I understand," Maka nodded. "This is the only favor I can and will ask of you. I'm sorry that I've had to involve you at all."

Mira's bitter laugh surprised Maka. "It wasn't avoidable." There were too many breaths worth of silence between them and Maka half expected Mira to stand and excuse her but instead in the softest whisper came, "I'm sorry that all of this falls on you. I wish change came in a way that didn't require sacrifice."

Maka shook her head slowly, a miserable smile coming to her face, "With my mother and father should I have expected differently? I've known for a long time that my life wouldn't be easy."

"Well," Mira sighed before she squeezed Maka's hand again, "It may not be, but remember, you're not alone. Others protect and love you."

At that moment, Maka had never so desperately needed to feel that.

* * *

Soul had followed orders, blowing off a light sparring session with Black Star who had seemed strangely relieved by the situation so that he could spend the day nervously and in no way relaxing in bed. For a while, he'd added to the journal, mostly sketches of her in different instances that came to mind. First, her standing on the temple steps, remembering the intricate pattern that had been emblazoned on her chest. Second, the way she looked as he knelt in front of her, that adorable hint of surprise. Third, what her face looked like the first time she admitted she loved him. He didn't dare draw some of the others since he was sure Maka would have him strung up if he tried to put some more private moments to the page.

Of course, that was the thought that summoned her and even if it felt like she was now there to punish him he was so desperate for her presence that it didn't matter. There was no berating, no words, just Maka walking into the room and instantly starting the chore of undressing. His only hope of keeping his cool was to plaster on a smirk and laugh out the words, "I thought I was on bed rest today?"

"Shut up," she muttered as she got her top gown off. "Help me, will you?"

"Don't have to ask me twice," he hummed out pleasantly as he hopped out of bed. Maka moved her hair for him, leaving him to unravel the ties in the back of her undergown. "I guess you're not in the mood to talk?" She huffed in reply and he had no choice but to chuckle. "Maka…" he just finished the binding and Maka was tossing her dress to the floor, turning in complete silence to fiddle with getting off his pants. "Maka," he repeated as he grabbed her hands, stilling the motion enough to get her eyes to finally connect with his.

"What?" It was a solid attempt at a defiant tone but the shine around the rims of those sweet green eyes betrayed her.

"Don't rush me, got it?" When he let go of her hands they hung there and he took the opportunity to toss off his shirt. Instead of the passion he'd been risking to think about just moments before, he was wrapping his arms around her as her cheek pressed comfortably against his chest. His fingers moved with the sole purpose to soothe, running over arms and back, cradling to take her weight at times when her breath seemed to falter. She had spoken before of souls and he tried to imagine at that moment tying his to hers, easing his love into every last corner of her.

He didn't count the minutes, just waited for her heart to steady. When her fingers finally seemed to ease their tight grip on him, Soul slid a hand to cup her neck and pulled Maka from her hiding spot. There was no point in calling her out now, exposing more of the raw hurt she seemed to be wearing so he concentrated on letting his lips speak to her, tenderly offering kisses that made every last nerve tingle. Again, time here was endless and didn't matter, his only purpose to encourage that unraveling in her.

Soul only stopped kissing Maka in order to turn her and lay her down breathlessly on the bed. Now he bothered with his pants, leaving them behind so he could let every last inch of his skin touch to hers. He tangled his legs in hers and let his hands start a slow journey to give her front the same attention he'd just given her back. None of it came with any exact intention, just calloused pads drifting along the softest of skin. He rested his head just next to hers, letting her eyes be wherever they were comfortable as his watch followed the movement of his fingers.

After enough goosebumps, he propped up on his elbow and dipped his head so his lips could just brush her collarbone. The catch in her breath was enough to encourage a second and then a third, creating a trail down to the swell of her breast. "Soul…" she started inquisitively but anything else was sucked out of her mouth as his lips latched on her nipple. He tentatively sucked and a warbled groan left her lips. "What are you doing?" her murmur came almost incoherently as he continued the sucking pressure.

He toyed with her for a little longer before releasing his lips with an amusing _pop_. "I was thinking this kind of mood needed something out of the ordinary. You like it?" When he raised his turned his head to look at her he got his answer, the gorgeous flush of her face and the trembling part of her lips speaking volumes before she could even eke out another word. "What else? Biting?"

Maka shook her head swiftly.

"Not even a nibble?" he asked playfully.

"Soul," she tried to admonish him but as his lips caressed over her peak again it came out as just a shaky mess.

He played with his tongue, drawing lines until she would let out a quivering sigh before latching again. It was a relief to sense her relaxing into the pattern, her feelings starting to unravel while that other part of her was winding up. Soul enjoyed this view, watching her stomach muscles flutter and her legs fidget against the sheets as he let a searching hand run along her hip bone. It wasn't necessarily fair but he was teasing, watching the way her legs shivered as he drew a line in the crease of her joint and exhaled hotly against her breast.

"Soul," she started again, her hair sinking into his hair.

"What?" Soul innocently turned his head to her, sparkling red eyes meeting narrowing green.

Her teeth worked into her bottom lip before she murmured, "I'm sorry."

"No," he quickly lifted his head, taking his playful hand away to grasp at her cheek. "No, that's not what I want. I want you to forget it right now. Leave that shit at the door."

"Then kiss me," it was barely a whimper but one he took as seriously as an order.

As his lips met hers his hand went back to traveling, running over the ridge of her collarbone, over her breast to feel the joyous flutter of her abdomen. His fooling had backfired as far as he was concerned and he would fix it, delving his fingers between her legs with no more hesitation. A quivering moan broke their kiss which he treasured almost as much as how his tongue had apparently done the right kind of work, no exploring necessary to get his fingers wet. "Maka," he sighed out happily as he tried to feel like this was the only moment they'd ever have, that this was the entirety of their world.

And he would only fill that world with the sounds of her ecstasy. Since this was thankfully no longer alien to him, Soul had pretty much perfected a rhythm, but he was going to stay true to his word, that the anxiety she'd brought back with her needed to be quelled by something more than the ordinary. He broke from usual flow, sliding his fingers into her as he experimented with the angle. He was rewarded with a gasp but he still paused, "More of that?"

"Yes," she panted.

That was another prize he'd hold on to. He plunged into her a few more times, one slide building on the next as she started to engage her hips with each stroke. Once the sense seemed to drain from her eyes he went back to the tried and true measure, a firm pressure placed on that blessed button between her legs. Her hand clenched into his hair and forced his lips to crush against hers just long enough to deaden the undulating moan between them. He gave in to her, letting her bite at his lip and squeeze his hand between her legs.

Maka's senses were always slow to come back to her, a spot of pride for Soul definitely, so when she released him it was to lay there in a daze. Soul didn't push, just put his head back on his pillow as he pulled the sheet over them. Without much thought, he rested his hand on her stomach and while she was still somewhere in a fog, that pulled her back swiftly enough. "What's the verdict?" he murmured.

"Shouldn't we…?" A delicate hand ran over the sheet at his hip but Soul shook his head.

"I think I want it after I know. Just seemed like you needed it first."

Maka tried to keep her breath steady but it faltered and that tender hand turned into a clutch, pulling him towards her. She wanted the last few minutes back, to be stuck there and living in that kind of joy for eternity. What's worse is that Maka was almost sure that if she asked, he would give that to her, regardless of the selfishness. Maka buried her face in his chest, no amount of fastening to him feeling close enough.

"I need to know, Maka," he whispered as he kissed her hairline.

"Three weeks before the announcement." She waited but all she got in return with his steady breathing and another soft brush of his lips.

His chest rattled through a sigh, "Did she say if she thought you were pregnant or not?"

"Whether I am or not we're acting like it," pressed quickly from her lips as her fingers tensed into his skin. "I'm supposed to put on a show."

He knew it was pointless nonsense to mutter but he let it out anyway, "Just be careful around Medusa."

"I'm sorry," she couldn't help but repeat it even though there was no reason that would come to her mind other than the wish for normalcy again. _If only I could give you a regular life._

"What are you sorry for?" he grumbled as he rolled her over, pinning her once again underneath him. "Nevermind, forget it," he pressed his lips to hers quickly, silencing any words if she had them. "How about I'm the sorry one? I think that makes more sense."

She almost didn't want to ask since it required releasing his lips so she slipped a hand into his hair, ready to tug him back in before whispering, "Why?"

"I feel like my only worry is going to be missing you," he nuzzled his nose to hers, "while you have to worry about _maybe_ being pregnant, seeing your father, traveling with Black Star."

"You'll have to deal with a witch," Maka offered to tip the scale.

"You really think that compares?" he chuckled. "I'd think you'd take a witch over Black Star any day."

Even though she wished she could produce more, all she could manage was a smile that she quickly smudged out against his lips. "Make love to me," she barely broke the kiss.

"Just one more thing," he sighed softly as she was already wrapping her legs around him. "I know it hurts, Maka. I feel it too, but… we're stronger than that, alright? Our love is stronger than that."


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So writing this was weird and kind of difficult. I tried to mirror some canon here, and I hope I did it justice enough to make sense since it's kind of a mish-mash of three different encounters from the manga. I'm also not entirely sure where this black blood part of the storyline is going, so I apologize for maybe some vagueness or the feeling of loose ends. I promise I'm going to try to answer the questions I've left open about this.

Maka had complained about being tired but since it had been for a room full of attendants Soul hadn't been entirely sure whether or not it was all part of the act. The possibility still ground into his gut, that sour feeling taking hold even in the face of all his reassuring yesterday. _But that's you, isn't it? You can be strong for her, soothe and strengthen, but inside you're still just a ball of worry._

That knot was only growing while he watched her toy listlessly with her breakfast as she sweetly answered the barrage of questions from his mother about the temple visit. Maka was planting the seeds, her voice fluttering with hope as she recounted Mira's supposed positive observations. Soul dared to let his mind wander, trying to force his memory to relive yesterday analytically, to study the curves of her body for change rather than for pleasure. That was impossible so he broke the dreams almost as quickly as they came.

"Will you escort me?" Maka seemed to be finished with not only talking but the meager offerings she put on her plate.

Soul stood, bowing his head at both of his parents before giving her his elbow. Maka mimicked him before taking it and as he turned her he whispered, "Where to?"

Maka didn't lower her voice, letting the room know as much as him, "Back to our room, please."

"My poor, exhausted darling," he cooed, earning him a barely reined in eye-roll from Maka. Soul smirked, making her glare only intensify. "Should I carry you back, my dove?"

She made sure to be out of earshot of the hall before she groaned, "Call me darling or dove again."

"What?" Soul scoffed, "Would you prefer my treasure? Or maybe my sweet?"

"You're making me nauseous." She attempted a laugh but pressed her hand to her mouth instead, her miming suddenly becoming closer to reality.

There was no more amusement on his face especially as the color had started to drain from hers. "You alright?"

"Well, you're helping how I feel about breakfast along, anyway." Maka took a long, deep breath as she let that hand slip to her chest. "I think I'm just worried."

"About?" Soul couldn't help but quicken their steps, urging towards the safety of their room. Maka was on the same wavelength, holding her tongue with only a soft smile to answer him. When he finally snuck her into the door he sighed, "I'm sorry, that's a stupid question. Kind of have a lot to worry about."

"Yes, but…" Maka eased onto the bed, collapsing back into the covers to speak to the ceiling. "We're going to try the resonance today and, well, you can guess."

"Shit, speaking of that…" That knot was back and he was instantly to the bedside and leaning over her to search her face. "You think Black Star should be here? Or at least Liz if, just in case-"

"Soul," Maka cut him off firmly. "No safety net. We have to do this to become stronger so your only chance is to keep whatever this is under control. You'll have my help but you have to be aware of it too."

"The last time-"

"The last time was Medusa's fault. You're healthy, I'm here, and you're going to come at this thing with all that bravery I know is in you." Maka reached up and caressed his cheek, "Stand up to it and be the Soul I know you can be."

"The one you remember," he sighed.

"No, the one you _are_ ," Maka urged. "It's simple, Soul. The boy I loved grew into the man I love now," she added sweetly as she smiled.

He answered her with a smirk before stealing a quick kiss. "Then let me at this thing."

"That's more like it," Maka laughed as she pulled him onto the bed but deposited him next to her rather than the usual alternative. He turned to fluff the sheets out of their way. "Just relax, alright? Close your eyes and try to follow what I'm saying."

Soul grabbed her hand as the best affirmative he could give before he forced his eyes shut.

"I'm listening for your soul, so listen for mine," Maka murmured, her voice already bordering on trancelike. "You and I are linked, unbreakable, your soul feeds mine and I do the same…"

There was more, Soul could swear there was because her voice was echoing somewhere in the darkness but he was trapped back in that inky, shadowed room, that odd little gremlin standing at his feet. He was dressed in something close to his finest robes as if he were reliving his wedding day and the strange imp was wearing the same.

"Fear, fear, fear," the grumbling, scratchy voice filled the room.

 _Stand up to it. Do this for her._ "Fear's important. It's foolish to forget fear," he snapped back.

The imp let out a coarse laugh, "The most important thing is _power_ , a power so strong you don't feel any fear." Soul was searching for the next thing to say when the monster grabbed him, starting to pull him away. "I don't think you can understand yet. You're not ready."

"No," Soul started to struggle because it was all coming back to him, sinking him back in the old nightmare. "I don't want to leave this room!" _Because killing her is next, ripping her apart, tearing her to pieces and it has to be-_ Air flooded his lungs while coughing filled hers as the world came back to him. It was nothing more than a waking nightmare now since her lips were once again tarnished with black. "Maka!"

"It's OK." Maka fended off his fingers, clearing the inky liquid away from her mouth. "It's just, I don't think we were working together. I think… we're both still too scared."

 _Fear_ , Soul let echo again in his head. "That disgusting gremlin doesn't want fear."

"Then we can't give that to him." Maka brushed her clean hand across his face. "Let's try again."

Soul hesitated. "You sure you feel up to it?"

"No fear, Soul," she reminded him before manually shutting his eyes.

Again the room, the dress, the demon looking even less enthused to see him, that was until Soul opened his mouth. "Show me what you want, whatever this power is," Soul started towards the imp, "but I'm going to have it my own way, you got that?"

The demon gave a joyous smile, "Then follow me, towards madness, insanity, and joy."

And it was something like that, or maybe more like a hunger, a deep incessant need that dug deeply into him. It was as if he could still see himself with her, his jaw stretching out unnaturally as saliva oozed off his lips because Maka, having her, swallowing her whole would be the only thing to fill it. Pushing both of them to the brink of insanity was the only way, or at least that was a second's worth of a frantic thought before he hooked a finger into his lip and reeled himself back. "I'm fine, it'll be alright."

"Soul?"

Some of that had bled into reality, Soul waking to find himself hovering over her, straddling her with teeth clenched from a bite denied. "That was closer," he muttered as he rolled off her quickly.

"It felt like…" Maka drifted off as she pressed a hand to her chest. "Like your soul was going to swallow mine."

"Tried to," he answered with all the honesty he could muster. "But I'm fine. It's alright. That's not going to happen. But… just one more time, Maka."

"One more," Maka nodded.

The demon started on him as soon as he returned. "You're not taking this seriously! It's time to finish this!"

"I am!" Soul screamed back, "And it'll be _me_ who decides."

"Maybe not." The demon snapped his fingers and another corner of the room lit up, Maka standing there in an extravagant gown that he wished was real.

"I don't know if he'll listen to me," Maka murmured playfully.

"That's a trick," Soul scoffed. "She can't be in my head. This is just something you're doing." He pointed wildly at the imp.

Maka approached him, her hands gently soothing his pointing finger. "Remember, our souls are resonating. Makes it easy to be with you where you need me." As she got closer, Soul hesitated, but Maka still planted a soft kiss on his lips.

"It is you," he whispered with a laugh.

"Why don't you two relax?" The demon snapped his fingers again and soft music started to drift all around them. "Take a turn around the room."

"You should lead." Maka smiled as she eased into his arms, a hand at the small of her back while the other clasped her fingers tightly.

"Why did it bring you here?" Soul muttered though there was a strange elation to all of this. He wanted to dance with her, wanted her in this eerie dark room, and wanted something else that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Maybe it's because…" Maka sighed as her eyes searched the room. "Maybe I know more."

"What does that mean?" Soul prodded quickly.

Maka's eyes searched his. "Crona has it too, the black blood, and they use it when they fight. It's from their weapon, the one you saw that day that's less of a sword and more of a being. It lets them do terrifying things with the blood, dangerous things, and if you-"

"If I _what_?" Soul was bordering on a frantic shout and he could hear the imp cackle in the background. "If I harness all this what's to say I'm not going to go crazy? Hurt _you_. And with the way we've been connecting, the blood obviously transmitting to you, doesn't that put you in danger of going off the deep end too? You said it, I almost swallowed your soul, and what the hell happens if I don't stop myself from doing that? It's fucking _dangerous_."

"You're wrong," Maka murmured as she slowly shook her head. "I know that won't happen."

"Why?" he bleated back just before she latched her lips on his again. Soul abandoned her hand, instead moving to cup her cheek. "It's because I goddamn love you, isn't it? That's why I'll do everything I can to keep us safe, to keep us from the madness."

Maka hummed a sweet affirmative against his lips.

The little demon clapped his hands, "It's done!"

There was no sudden tear back to reality, just like waking from a dream that maybe still bordered on a nightmare. _I can use this, but I have to keep us both steady, save us both from the edge._ He waited for Maka's eyes to open, the green hitting him with joyful relief. _And she believes in me. Knows I can do it, that I'm strong enough and that she is, too._

"How do you feel?" she murmured.

He ran a thumb along her cheekbone. "For once? No fear."

* * *

"I didn't think Stein could get back this soon," Soul sighed as he trailed after Black Star.

"Not like he went home or anything," Black Star shrugged. "Just had a few more Stein-y stuff to take care of. Plus, he needed a decision from you two, remember?"

That spurred Soul's footsteps faster as he entered the barracks, ending up pushing past Black Star to get through the door first. Stein was sitting patiently, his feet up on the table as he leaned back in the chair. "Soul, you look-"

"Sick and tired of this sneaking around?" Soul spat.

"I was going to say well," Stein shrugged. "I guess I can tack on spirited. Where's Maka?"

"She's not feeling good," Soul muttered.

"Oh?" Stein offered a glance at Black Star who instantly broke out in a sweat.

Soul huffed as he hit the seat of the chair hard. "We've been resonating souls, working on that black blood bullshit and it's been draining her. I want to take a break but each time I mention it she just threatens about leaving and…" he threw up his hands in frustration.

"I doubt the resonation is doing her any damage," Stein tried to reassure him with a soft nod.

"Yeah, well, either way, she's sleeping it off," Soul grumbled as he dug a fingernail into the table. "Which is _fine_ because I'm well-versed on this stupid plan."

"How did the temple go?" Stein offered, calmly pushing him in the right direction.

"The priestess, Mira, OKed announcing three weeks after Maka's first visit. That means we're down to a week before Maka is _officially pregnant_." Those words might as well have been a curse since Soul was still aching for some kind of verification of the reality. It was sinking into him that most likely she'd be leaving him without him actually knowing, and he was sure that was worse than any other kind of punishment.

"Which means within a week of the official announcement you should send her to Marie's. There's an antiquated blessing that women used to do in their home villages after conception. Talk that up like the two of you are returning to tradition. You'll be buttering up some in the crowd but at the same time offering a valid excuse as to why you'd send your bride away." Stein tented his fingers before rubbing his pointers together in thought. "A two-week journey by carriage will get Maka and Black Star halfway, where I will be waiting."

"For the kidnapping?" Black Star was struggling to contain his excitement. It was the first chance in a while that he was getting to actually test real skill, have a real fight since no matter how smoothly Stein planned anything, Black Star was always ready for chaos.

"Yes, where you will take Maka on horseback to her father's. She'll be able to show you the way."

Soul sighed, "And that trip takes how long?"

"Calculating the months?" Stein offered innocently.

"I _have_ to," he hissed back. "So?"

"Five weeks, if they take their time," Stein shrugged way too easily for Soul's liking. "And then the plan is for Black Star to keep them there for ten weeks' time." Even with the dramatic groan leaking from Soul's mouth, Stein continued. "After that, they're to move back to Marie's, just in case, which would be another two weeks. That would leave her only a four-week journey from you at that point."

"And how far along would she be?" Soul demanded.

Black Star wanted to playfully nudge him, laugh ' _do the math'_ in his face but the way Soul's fingers were digging into the wood spelled out that this was no time for teasing.

"Let's suppose the two of you are lucky, and that your wedding night was enough," Stein was trying to stay as analytical as possible but Black Star was snickering in the background, telling him what he had already assumed that Maka and Soul may have taken their time. "Around thirty weeks at her arrival at Marie's. Remember, birth would come any time after thirty-eight."

"Which would leave me with a dangerously small window to get to her." Soul collapsed onto his elbows, letting his hands clutch into his hair with an agonizing breath.

Black Star's voice rang like a tired complaint, "I'll get her back in time. Have a little fucking faith." His hand came to Soul's head, ruffling the hair he could reach between Soul's desperate fingers.

" _If_ she's pregnant," Soul reminded the tabletop.

Black Star's lips crinkled into a frown as he looked to Stein. "You got anything more for the prince?" he urged, sure this was the end of his rope.

"I've got something else," Soul interrupted as he raised his head. "Do you love Marie?"

"What?" Both Stein and Black Star echoed each other.

"Answer the question," Soul ordered flatly.

Stein tilted his head, trying to suppress a wistful smile. "I don't see the relevance."

"She's pregnant again," that was a statement to stab Stein in the gut and as Soul raised another finger Stein found himself oddly holding his breath. "And now you're about to probably risk your life to finish this thing with me."

"Killing witches is what I am trained to do," Stein tried to keep that even, to not give in to those thoughts in the back of his mind.

Soul narrowed his eyes before letting out an irritated sigh, "Is it really that hard to admit it? I get the secrecy, Maka told me, but even when we were kids it was obvious you weren't just the captain of her guard because you were the best fighter."

Stein let out a harsh laugh, "It's unfair to say it to you when she's never heard it herself."

"Well, you better fucking say it to her," Soul grumbled as he reached into his pocket. He took out the pile of paper and placed it in front of him before sliding the top letter of the stack to Stein.

He eyed it before breaking the seal. His eyes darted across the page as he read, his mouth going a little slack.

"What is it?" Black Star leaned down to whisper in Soul's ear.

"My offer," Soul tried to answer flatly, holding on his scowl in vain. "And this is the royal proclamation of your appointment to the war council," Soul slid the next letter off the top of the stack. "And this is the official decree of awarding lordship."

"Lordship? _Lord_ Stein?" Black Star offered a jovial laugh until his eyes focused off of Soul's shoulder back to Stein's face.

All of him was frozen, from his eyes to his lips to even the heart beating in his chest. The paper was taut between his fingers as his eyes focused on that singular line: " _As reward for duties completed in the field and in exchange for the promise of loyalty to the council of war under the crown of Prince Soul, future King, Franken Stein is to be given the title of lordship and all responsibilities under it…"_

Soul let the annoyance drop away, an act that he had almost perfected but could no longer hold on to as he watched Stein falter. "All of it is binding, even ran it past my father and he thought you were a great addition, and honestly I couldn't give less of a shit about anyone else on the council's complaint. It'd mean you'd have to spend maybe a week or so here a month but for the most part, you could keep your position with Marie."

"My position with Marie," Stein murmured in a hollow echo.

"Though, you'd be equals," Soul let that settle between them, knowing better than to nudge it further than that.

Stein flexed his fingers in the paper. "All I have to do is sign this?"

"Yeah, the other two you keep." Soul pressed the other letters closer and then held his palm up.

He eased the letter to the table and Black Star was quick to get him a quill. His fingers felt fat and clumsy as they trembled through the line of ink he scribbled on the page. There was barely any air in his lungs to blow across the page but he took his time, making sure that there wasn't the chance for smudging before he slid it across the table to Soul. "Why would you do this?"

Soul rolled his shoulders effortlessly before letting out a sharp laugh. "Don't think I'm trying to buy your loyalty or anything." He only glanced momentarily at the paper before folding it and stuffing it back in his pocket. His easy red eyes came back to Stein, a forlorn smile starting to tug on his lips. "I think about what could have happened if Marie hadn't given Maka the opportunity to be a lady. Marie deserves the same kindness."

Stein was silent for a moment, his jaw working as his mouth stayed closed. "Everything I've planned… I have tried to keep you both safe."

"Don't doubt it," Soul answered quickly as he stood. "Guess I'm just hoping we can keep it that way."

"We will," all of that trembling fell from his voice. "All of us are in this together."


	21. Chapter 21

Maka was completely undressed, her clothes long gone and the only thing keeping her from shivering was the steam coming off the bath behind the screen. Mira had left her only a few minutes ago but it felt like eons and all Maka could do was stare at her body. Maybe there was a minute change in the curve of her abdomen, or perhaps even a deeper shade to her nipples. _Or has that freckle on my hip bone always been there?_ The last came as a tease in her mind because of course, all this was ridiculous. It seemed impossible, inconceivable that this body had or could change so quickly to become something more than just the vessel for her own soul.

All of that apprehension tightened to a knot as the door opened again and Mira returned, trailed this time by a hooded figure. "I told you that some of us had special talents," Mira started quickly, strangling the questions on Maka's tongue. "This is one of the inner circle girls, so please don't touch her or look at her face."

"No, of course not," Maka murmured obediently as she remained still with her eyes once again focused on the curve of her hip bone.

"She will touch you," Mira warned in a low voice, "but she's feeling for a soul."

Maka's ears perked, "My mother…"

Mira nodded before smiling softly, "I've met a few with this talent." With a swift motioning of Mira's hand, the hooded figure broke from her. Both hands spread and inched closer to Maka. She sucked in a breath just as the icy fingers touched her skin. "Maka, you made me a promise last time. Have you been keeping it?"

"Every day," Maka nodded with stern surety. "I stay in bed most mornings now between the dizziness and the fatigue."

"Anything else?" Mira's push came with more probing from the fingers as if kneading the skin would offer more answers.

It took effort for Maka to roll her shoulders with at least some degree of easiness when inside the idea was all boiling to a head. Her mind had run over the list that Mira had given a few weeks ago, exhaustion, headaches, fatigue, back pain, dizziness, and as she compiled the checkmarks for the time that had passed the answer was all too obvious. The worst was the clearest sign of all: Maka could distinctly not remember bleeding since she'd come to stay at the castle. While she had comfortably blamed it on nerves originally since stressful times often throwing her body out of whack, it was really just one too many weights on one side of the scale.

Mira's smile stayed strong, never signaling an ounce of disbelief. As her fingers touched gently to Maka's arms the other's removed from her stomach. "You've done a convincing job either way. I've heard many whispers and even the Queen comes to visit for reassurance."

"The Queen?" Maka offered a weak laugh.

"It's strange," Mira added another drift of her fingertips against Maka's shoulder. "While I'm not necessarily sure she is comfortable with the idea of you as the princess, she is… actively trying to reserve her excitement about the possibility of a child."

That sentence swirled through her mind. The hooded figure slipped a robe over Maka's shoulders, breaking her from her confusion. "The Queen wants a grandchild?" Maka let a shaky laugh pass her lips.

"She misses her son." Mira left that as some kind of explanation as she turned and walked towards the table of herbs. The familiar sound of the mortar and pestle started.

Maka looked after her for a moment before turning her attention back to the hooded figure. "Thank you." She was careful not to let her curiosity get the better of her, even though she'd made note that those hands didn't look so young, that this was much less a girl and much more a woman. _Though, should it be surprising? They stay in that service forever, don't they? But Mira said inner circle which means she's unwed, pure. I wonder if she's beautiful._ To dismiss the thought Maka looked back at her middle, bringing the robe tightly around her but barely taking away the feeling of her nakedness.

The minutes ticked, the figure standing frozen as Maka fiddled with the fabric in her fingers, stealing glances at Mira. It felt like an eternity before Mira turned back to her, cup of piping tea pressing from her hands to Maka's. "Take this and soak for a while. I'll return after I've talked with the other priestesses."

"Thank you." The words felt useless on Maka's tongue because Mira didn't even seem to acknowledge them, just moving to the figure and pushing her out the door.

Mira's fingers were gripped tightly into the fabric, wanting to sink into that bicep but not daring to as they left the princess behind and hurried to the next room. The hood came off, delicate blond hair dancing down the back as it fell. "This is a nightmare," Yaara muttered.

"Wait," Mira pressed as she directed them in the room, shutting the door behind them. "Stein said she was pregnant."

"She is," Yaara sighed. "But it's not right. Something about that soul isn't _right_."

The air trembled in Mira's throat, "What do you mean?"

"Stein should have seen it," Yaara spat. "What is this man like, the prince?"

Mira shook her head, trying to break Yaara's trail before it even started. "He's a good man." She realized the weakness of the words as they hit Yaara and her mind started searching desperately for more. "There's never been a complaint placed against him besides some melancholy but his brother was killed and he fell ill-"

"What was he sick with?" Yaara latched on to the idea almost as quickly as she clung to Mira's arm.

"The physician treated him," Mira shook her head slowly. "Other than that it was kept quiet."

"The physician who is a witch," Yaara laughed. "Which means his sickness probably wasn't what it seems. Did Stein speak to that? Not that I expect Stein to know a prince."

Mira let her mouth sit closed, let the words rest on her tongue as she appraised who Stein had called an old friend of hers. _I'm not sure there's much left of the woman I called a friend. Instead, she's this. Not Maka's mother or Spirit's wife or even that young girl that used to laugh at the yearlings that would chase each other in the fields. Listening to her now, am I sure who she is?_ "The prince grew up with your daughter. Came to stay with Marie and Stein. Didn't you know that?"

"I guess I should have expected Spirit would shirk his duties as a father." It was another sick laugh that accompanied that as Yaara rolled her shoulders and lost her grip on Mira.

 _Don't you see the irony there, Yaara?_ Mira wanted to laugh but instead, it came out as a hard, swift sigh. "Other than your daughter, Stein didn't mention much."

"He takes such an interest in her," anger seemed to drip off the words.

Mira couldn't help the reply from spilling off her lips, "He wants to protect her."

Yaara laughed ruefully. "Stein wants what he wants. Protecting her is just a side effect of that, I'm sure." She ditched the rest of the cloak on the back of a chair before focusing on Mira again. "I'm going to stay close by. Bring her in again in a month and I'll check again, but I don't trust what I saw in that soul."

Her teeth sunk into her tongue and Mira held onto all the rest, deciding finally that this was a stranger in front of her.

* * *

Soul was sure he was biased but everything about Maka that day looked perfect. Even the way she held herself, shoulders back, eyes wide and glowing even though he knew she was still struggling with the weariness that must be coming from their training. The room full of courtesans and dignitaries was the only thing stopping him from expressing that feeling with needy hands and soft lips. There was also an unhealthy mix of preemptively missing her since with Mira making her way to the middle of the court and his father calling for silence, Soul knew it was now just a matter of days.

"The princess has been thoroughly examined," Mira's proclamation in no way lacked power, settling even the minutest of murmurs in the room. "With the help of a particularly talented priestess of the inner circle we've come to decide that while still early in the process, the princess is carrying a child."

Maka was preparing herself to beam with accomplishment - _since weren't women supposed to always be pleased about fulfilling their duty?_ \- but any need for it was stolen from her. Soul grabbed her instead, lifting her quickly to her feet and with his other hand, steadied her cheek so that he could plant a dedicated kiss to her lips. Any pride was lost in the dizzying swell and tears replaced the glow in her eyes. "Soul…" but all the other words she could say were lost to her, just offering a smile in their stead.

Soul grinned, letting his thumb run down her jawline before turning his attention back to the room. "Thank you, priestess, for your diligence in this. We appreciate all you do."

"My pleasure, my prince." Mira gave a quick bow before taking one last look at Maka. The princess was nowhere near seeing it, her eyes too devoted to the man that she obviously loved. While she wanted to have faith in this child, Yaara's words still stuck in the back of her head. Unfortunately, that would have to wait and Mira turned quickly on her heels, making for the door.

"Congratulations," the King offered, his voice almost strange as it filled the absence of the Queen's. "I would say, my son, that this requires some kind of celebration. A feast, tomorrow, in honor of the princess."

"It's really…" Maka started but felt Soul's hand slip into hers, squeezing. _It's nothing. It's my duty, isn't it? It's what I promised and…_ Another squeeze pulled their fingers together and Maka let the rest slide off her tongue, "It's too kind of you, your majesty. I'm honored you'd even consider."

"Nonsense," the King dismissed her quickly. "It's fitting. Tomorrow it is."

Maka was quick to nod in agreement before turning to watch Soul's effortless grin. "We should take a turn around the room."

Even with the amusement on his face the whisper that he pressed next to her ear held no tone of it, "I'd rather not parade you around. You're tired."

"I appreciate that, but it's expected," Maka replied with a sigh as she took a step and tugged his hand. She found resistance and as she turned to admonish him it froze in her throat.

Soul was still only because his mother no longer was. The Queen had stepped towards him, her hand suddenly but gently coming to his cheek to keep him still enough for her whisper. Maka tried to read the words from his eyes, finding his face still relaxed in the grin but his eyebrows trembling slightly upward. The calm on his face continued to threaten to crumble as his mother pulled away and let that hand slip from his cheek to Maka's shoulder.

Mira's explanation flashed in Maka's mind again: _She misses her son._ With just a second's hesitation, Maka placed her hand over the Queen's, leeching all of the desperate feelings. She meant to find hatred, spitting disdain for Maka's common blood but as she should have expected that was hardly the root of it. There was a protectiveness whispering there that spoke to her much like Soul's, except that it was blind, apt to lashing out and doing in the moment rather than with careful thought like her son. The last note, the hardest and the one that brought the tears to Maka's eyes, was the sadness, the cruelest injury that came with losing a child and holding on to it until it became poison.

So while Maka had originally thought this would be the place where she would crow with pride about deals being upheld, she was only able to let her fingers drift softly over the Queen's knuckles before slipping her hand to clear the tears from her eyes. Instead of having to tug on Soul again, he was urging her forward, his hand detaching from hers to move to support her by taking her weight at her elbow. "You OK?" he murmured.

"Fine," the word felt weak and airy from her mouth but she tried to offer him a smile to negate it. _Maybe she didn't want it this way, but she does want new life. Mira was right, maybe I'm not entirely acceptable but the idea of this kind of blessing rather than another death…_ "We can talk about it later," Maka added for him and her own mind that wanted to perseverate.

Just as royal etiquette dictated, Maka was turned around the room like a prized sow to be fawned over with mostly genuine enthusiasm. The way their eyes fell over her was certainly uncomfortable but Maka continued to remind herself that it was at least better than their hands, like the icy cold fingers of that hooded priestess. It was the warm words she tried to focus on, but still allowed the weakness of leaning into him, of requiring Soul to take some of the physical weight as the mental piled on.

Maybe it had been hours but as the crowd refused to dwindle, Soul took matters into his own hands. Without letting her get in a word edgewise, Soul pulled her from the crowd and started the push towards the hallways. It was barely a royal goodbye, much closer to a royal disappearance which was what Soul was always used to even if he now had to remind himself that he was almost a King. He was slowly pushing towards a place where he could no longer do these kinds of things, but for her, at that moment, all he wanted was a second of quiet.

Maka didn't resist, letting him guide her back to their room with a sigh of relief. Liz was already awaiting them at the door and Maka watched the interaction between the two with interest, something definitely changing hands but without much acknowledgment. She quickly tried to cover it up by leaning close to Maka, "Do you need anything? There's two of you now, after all."

The laugh choked in Maka's throat but she still managed a smile. "Maybe bring up some fresh water, some fruit, but nothing else, really."

Liz was turning with a nod before she stopped herself and snapped her head back. "I forgot: _congratulations_! You should take a minute to pat yourself on the back that your first mission was a success," she finished in a hurried whisper before getting back on her way.

That icy feeling was back at the idea of success and it only abated when his hand came to the small of her back, urging her to turn and come through the doorway. All he had to do was get her behind the closed door before she let some of it fall away as she plunged back into the bed. "I don't remember you liking to be in bed this much," Soul let out a weak laugh.

"Well, I doubt we're allowed to go galavanting in the woods all that much anymore, and I assume Mira would be cross with me if I was out fighting in the ring, so I've been ending up with my third pick." Maka squeezed her arms around the pillow, digging her cheek in to steal away the scent of him that was leftover.

Soul let out an amused chuckle but instead of joining her, he opted to sit at the end of the bed, eyeing her. "You read my mother, didn't you?"

Maka nodded slowly as she trapped a sigh in the fabric. "Do you want to know?"

His eyebrows went through a revolution of furrowed to high before relaxing back. "Can I guess?"

Maka eased her grip in the pillow a little so that she was free to look at him. "Was it obvious from what she said?"

"Maybe it should be," he sighed. "Her congratulations sounded real but… she warned me I'd feel different once I was a parent. I think she assumes I'm going to learn some kind of lesson about how she feels."

"Mostly right," Maka smiled softly. "It's because of your brother."

"What?" Soul's eyebrows went back to furrowed.

Maka rolled over to get a good look at his face and reached out a hand, getting him to play with her fingers. "She couldn't protect him, so she had to protect what she had left, even if she was protecting it from the wrong thing," Maka motioned towards herself forlornly.

"Wish she knew you weren't all that dangerous," Soul chuckled.

"She's still so sad, Soul," Maka answered wistfully as she felt the tears threaten in her eyes again. "You have to… when I leave, you have to make sure to support her through that."

Soul shook his head to try to unjumble that idea to no avail. "She hasn't exactly shown you any kindness, Maka. I'm not sure she's going to be torn up that you're gone."

"But the baby." It was strange to rest her hand on her stomach at the idea but she let it happen, allowing her fingers to flex into the fabric. "I'm not sure she could bear to lose another life."

"You're…" he seemed to chew this over with no way of letting it out. The pause was long enough that Liz returned with Maka's meager request in hand. "Thanks, Liz."

The platter was left at the bedside table before Liz exchanged glances with the two. "Anything else?" Even though Liz wished for a swift _'no'_ since Soul's face spoke of nothing but a tension that she didn't want to be a part of.

"Ask Black Star to come by in an hour, OK?" Soul couldn't finish that with a smile, just a nod as he watched Liz exit the room. When the door shut and the silence came back, Soul let out a long sigh, "That's the first time you've done that."

"Done what?" Maka asked but could guess and she tensed her hand in anticipation.

"Your hand," he motioned toward it with the jut of his chin. "And kind of the way you're talking, too. Did Mira tell you something yesterday that you're keeping from me? And if you _are_ keeping it, I'd like to know why the hell you would."

Maka didn't hesitate to sit up and shrink the space between them so she could come behind him and throw her arms around his shoulders. "You're getting mad at me pretty quickly, Soul."

"I'm not-" but he cut off with a sigh. He leaned forward to put his head in his hands and Maka came with him, adding weight to his back as she refused to let go.

"Mira didn't tell me anything new yesterday, neither did the mute priestess from the inner circle," she murmured softly against his neck before placing a kiss there. "And, again, I tried _searching_ this morning but there was no tag-a-long soul, so I'm not keeping anything from you." Maka nuzzled into his neck, searching for the warmth and reassurance she knew was there. "But I'm going to admit that I'm… I don't know what to call it. Confused? Concerned? Unsure? I don't know how exactly I feel so saying it to you is hard and I was going to try over the next few days before I left, but…"

"Maka, please, just try," he murmured as his hands came up to her arms, gripping her tightly.

"I haven't been acting," Maka let the words tremble out with a slow exhale.

His fingers curled a little harder into her skin, just enough pressure to almost be painful. "For how long?"

"Well," Maka had to swallow to keep the warbling out of her voice. "I thought maybe it was just that Mira had put those things in my head so when I got back from the temple it wasn't hard to be tired or nauseous. It didn't take much more than just considering it and then, _poof_ , I was. I was going to start complimenting myself on how strong my mind was but then… then I was just kind of waking up that way. And I guess with all the mystical signs that I was waiting for I missed the most obvious." Maka let out a raw little laugh as she clutched tighter to him. "About two weeks after we started… I was supposed to bleed. I didn't. And by now I've missed a second. I could easily excuse one for stress but two?"

His breath hitched and tried to settle before he whispered out, "Then you are?"

"I can't say I don't think so anymore."

Soul's hands were quick to negotiate her, to bring her from his back to his lap. It was a strange, tight grimace on his lips as his hand slipped under her chin. "Remember what you promised me."

A smile softened the worry on her lips. "I'll try not to have this baby without you."

"Damn it," he hissed before he forced her lips to his. It was his turn to explore the way it felt to clutch at her stomach, to imagine what was there. Soul couldn't deny his mind had already done this too many times to count but now there didn't seem to be a rational argument against it. As he flexed his fingers into her dress he was begging in his mind: _Be real, but at the same time, be normal. I know you're going to hurt her but just what you're supposed to, got it? Nothing more than that and help her keep her promise. Let me be with you when the time comes._


	22. Chapter 22

Black Star had come when ordered to find Soul watching Maka sleep. Even though that topped the list of boring pastimes for Black Star, it was like pulling teeth to tear Soul away. They wandered the halls quietly to the parapet, the same old wineskin tucked under Black Star's arm. But as they took their usual spots, Soul waved away the drink, leaving Black Star to drown away the tension on his own.

After enough silence, Soul sighed, "She's pregnant."

Black Star was still half holding his breath. "I thought that's what today was about, you know, what the priestess said."

"Black Star," Soul stared straight at him as if saying his name wasn't enough, "She's _really_ pregnant."

"Oh." While the swig probably looked like some somber glug to Soul, Black Star was celebrating. The secret had been driving him mad, keeping him dodging Soul at every possible moment and now, he was free! "Congratulations, right? You can actually celebrate for a minute." Black Star offered the skin again but Soul refused a second time.

"What if all of this doesn't work?" The sentence ground cruelly against his throat and his heart.

"Don't be an asshole," Black Star sighed. "It's going to. I tailed Medusa through the announcement. As soon as the word was out in the open she was off. Managed to get Kim away about two hours ago. Medusa was grinding and brewing up a storm. More of that flower or whatever but something else. Kim's trying to sneak out a sample without being too obvious."

Soul ground his teeth together as his hands rubbed worriedly along the tops of his thighs. "The feast tomorrow. I want extra guards."

"Got it," Black Star grinned. "Plus, I'm ready for a goddamn fight. All of these shady poisoning attempts are _boring_. I wish she'd give me my first real fight with a witch."

While maybe there wasn't relief in the idea of fighting, Soul let out a soft laugh as he stared at his best friend and his shit-eating grin. "You think you'd beat her?"

"With one hand tied behind my back," Black Star cackled. "This world has _yet_ to throw something at me I can't handle. I'm a fucking God on Earth." To punctuate he threw back the wine again, only breaking from the drink to offer another round of laughter.

"I hope it's that easy," Soul nodded swiftly. "I want you two to leave tomorrow night, after the feast."

Black Star choked on his next gulp, coughing a few times to clear his throat. "Isn't that early?"

"Not by much," Soul's smile was anemic but he tried to his best to press it out. "Plus, the earlier you leave the less likely you are to cut it too close."

"We're cutting it close one way or another," Black Star refused to sugarcoat as he grabbed Soul's shoulder. "She's gonna be about to burst by the time you see her again whether you like it or not, Soul. It's just how it's going to be. But I promised, right? I'll get her back in time. Not like I want to have to be the one there when she gives birth." His lips twisted into a grimace until it disintegrated into a laugh as Soul punched his shoulder. "Come on, she's miserable enough with me as it is. Can you imagine how much more pissed off she'd be with me if _I_ had to deliver the baby?"

"Don't fucking jinx it," Soul connected his fist with Black Star's shoulder again, only eliciting more laughter. "You are not delivering my kid."

"Maybe I should get a few pointers from the midwife before we leave," Black Star pondered out loud before receiving another assault from Soul. "OK, OK, we'll leave tomorrow. I'll hurry her along like a good guard dog. And really, worse case you meet us at Marie's right?"

"If I can," he sighed. "I may have…"

"Oh, shit," Black Star grumbled. "You _may have_ what?"

"My father was talking about handing over the throne and…" Soul sighed as he planted a hand over his face, the next words coming as a warbled grumble from his palm. "He may have said something about when Maka got pregnant…"

"Oh, no," Black Star heaved. "No, no, no!" He discarded the wineskin to grab both of Soul's shoulders again, shaking them. "King? Now? Just because you knocked up some girl?"

"Not some girl," Soul hissed back as he dropped his hand. "King because I've done my duty. I'm helping my people and… I guess I need another responsibility to come along with being a father."

"Yeah, great time for crushing responsibility," Black Star muttered blankly.

"It's not like I could say _no_ ," Soul offered glumly.

"Sure, but you'd be an idiot if you didn't postpone," Black Star groaned as he gave him one more shake before letting go. "Tell him to wait, seriously. You can't be fighting a witch, getting ready to be a dad, and become King all at the same time."

 _And missing my wife,_ Soul added forlornly in his head, knowing that Black Star was liable to wretch at the romance. "I'll try. But that's just assuming he _is_ planning on giving up the throne. Fingers crossed he doesn't try to announce anything tomorrow without talking to me first."

"You never know, your parents are full of surprises," Black Star muttered before he slowly stumbled to his feet. "Look, come on, if we're leaving tomorrow I have a few things I have to settle with your wife."

"Do I have to be there?" he offered a smirk as Black Star scowled down at him. "Alright, though you two are going to have to get along without me."

Black Star shook his head emphatically as he started the walk. "About as much chance of that as you sprouting fucking wings."

* * *

Maka's sleep was light and would be until Soul got back, just drifting in that grey area. It was a time she filled by imagining the baby there, the little soul nestled under hers that she still desperately wanted to see. Soul's soul had this interesting spikiness to it and she tested that out. Her mother had always said Maka's hand little wings, an angelic soul that was one in a million so that was the next vision. She settled on something in between, a mix of the two of them and let that shape further. It'd be a boy since that was always the first hope and expectation in a royal family. She hoped for Soul's grin but her eyes, maybe a pale blond that fell somewhere between the two of them. _And his name would be…_

That started a fluttered panic that brought her much closer to consciousness. This would be their last week together and there was a chance, a very slim one but still a possibility that they wouldn't see each other until there was a bundle in her arms rather than a weight in her stomach. _And we didn't pick out names!_ It was an easy worry to perseverate on and Maka found herself gripping it tight, waiting to hear his footsteps coming back up the hall. With intent ears, she did hear the shuffling outside the door but it sounded like going rather than arriving.

She was a second away from sitting up when she heard the scrape. That sound was all too familiar and immediately identified in her mind as finding footholds on the wall leading up to the window. There was no way Soul was trying to be romantic, to mimic the way she'd visited him, or at least she hoped not since she assumed at this point he was drunk with Black Star. Maka slipped her hand under the bed and grabbed the dagger she had tucked against the wall and hid it under her arm while kicking down the covers. With apprehension turning her gut, Maka closed her eyes and searched for souls.

This in itself was exhausting, using her energy to locate the soul that was now bobbing through the window. It wasn't familiar to her, making her fingers clutch the dagger just a little tighter. The figure stopped at the bedside and Maka deliberated how soon was too soon to act when she heard more clambering in the hallway. The figure dropped to the floor and Maka quickly slid in the bed, opening her eyes to see the girl attempting to slide under the bed. Her foot came down hard on the girl's neck, freezing her in place and while Maka rarely ever had these moments, Black Star's voice rang in her head: _You need to plant more weight on your foot. Really lean into the choke or you're going to get thrown every time._

She did as she was told.

* * *

They were exchanging some low laughs when Soul watched the strange evolution from elation to concern before Black Star disappeared in a flat-out run. What choice did he have but to follow and it was almost instantly obvious as he watched Black Star skid at the door. _Where the hell are the guards? When was the last time I saw one in the hall?_ With that urging in his head Soul was only an instant behind his best friend, crashing through and almost tumbling to the floor with the momentum.

"You were right, Black Star," Maka offered calmly. "Just needed to plant more weight."

Black Star vaulted the bed to get next to Maka, seeing the girl crushed under Maka's feet, one on her neck and the other on a hand. The girl was weakly trying to tug at Maka's ankle but she looked dangerously close to greying out. Black Star dropped to the floor and pinned both hands while his knee went into the girl's chest. "Alright, get off," he directed roughly to Maka.

"I had it under control," Maka answered pertly but Soul didn't let her keep her pride in the moment, grasping her and pulling her back on the bed. "I'm fine, Soul," she murmured as his death grip on her didn't relax.

Soul didn't have much of a reaction besides a gruff grunt, his fingers doing the talking as he touched over her to find each piece intact.

"Did you see the guards?" Maka turned her face to his, somehow a soft, reassuring smile lighting up her features.

"No," Soul grumbled as his hands ran over her for a second check.

"Soul," she chided, making his eyes snap to hers. "Will you stop checking me and take a look at her?" Maka nodded down at the girl who was still sputtering for breath as Black Star pressed on her middle.

Soul didn't stop his fingers but let his eyes drop down to the floor, his jaw instantly tightening into a grimace. "The water girl."

"I thought so," Maka nodded surely. "So you poison your prince and princess and now you sneak into your princess's room. What are you up to?"

Black Star pressed the girl's wrists tighter, eliciting a squeak from her lips but nothing else. "Trust me, you may not want to say it now, but I'll _make_ you say it later," Black Star grinned.

The girl let out a forlorn groan but her fearful eyes weren't for any of those in the room.

In the silence, the footsteps in the hallway came back and Black Star threw his voice over his shoulder. "Hey, you _assholes_!" The steady steps turned into a scuffle and four men erupted into the room, confusion at the liveliness for the late hour. "Where the _fuck_ were you idiots?" he spat as the crowd came around the bed.

"Sir, the physician came by and said there was a problem with the Queen-"

"Was there?" Soul ordered quickly.

"When we got there the regular guards said she was visiting the King-"

"Go," Maka ordered Soul as she pressed him away.

Soul was on his feet, forcing off the bed as he threw a glance over at Black Star. "Stay with Maka."

"Duh," Black Star huffed as he watched Soul high-tail it out of the room. "Two of you go with him. The other two, get this goddamn girl out of here." The soldiers split as ordered, two of the men taking the girl out from underneath Black Star. "She gets her own cell. You stay with her until _I_ tell you different. Anyone else gets the damn boot. I don't care if it's the King himself, got it?" The soldiers mumbled assent and dragged the girl from the room. Black Star followed them to the door before closing it behind them and turned back to Maka. "You sure you're OK?"

"Mostly," Maka pressed a hand to her face before using it to clear away her hair.

"Mostly?" Black Star took a tentative step towards her. "Not something with the baby, right?"

A frown cracked her lips. "I guess he _had_ to tell you."

"Look, we're leaving tomorrow, so this," he motioned a hand between them, "has to go back to that thankful adoration you had for me during the contest."

"Thankful adoration?" Maka laughed. "When was that?" She was ready to offer more giggles, especially as she saw him revving up his response but the full details finally hit her. "We're leaving tomorrow?" came as a tight shriek.

Black Star grimaced, "Well, yeah, that's technically what we were on our way here to talk to you about. And after tonight I'm pretty sure there's no talking Soul out of it. That's another solid attempt on your life, princess."

"Which was about as dangerous as a toddler's plan." Maka's hands started to wring in her nightgown and she took to her feet. "We're going to catch up with Soul."

"Oh, no, we're not," Black Star shook his head. "It's him, two guards, and at least a dozen more posted at the King. He doesn't need us even if there is trouble. Especially if your goal is _just_ to yell at him about sending you off a few days early."

"Are you going to stop me?" Maka pressed another step forward.

Black Star cackled, "Sure. You want to test that?"

Maka took another step and Black Star dodged in front of her, not touching but only a breath away from her. "I'm your princess."

He snorted another laugh, grinning at her, "Yeah, but my best friend's wishes kind of trump whatever title you have or will. You safe means more to me than the temper-tantrum you're about to have because you're going to miss your husband."

Maka sent a fist into his chest and repeated the action as he continued to laugh at her. "I hate this and I hate you and I hate being _fucking_ useless!"

"Oh, cursing!" Black Star continued his laughter but let a soft hand come to her wrist. "But you notice you're not useless. You almost knocked that girl out. Can't wait to see more of that on the road."

She sighed as she pulled her hand away from his and turned back to the bed, throwing herself into the covers. "Aren't you supposed to be hoping there's no trouble while we travel?"

Black Star shrugged amiably but she watched as his eyes fell, his focus suddenly becoming tight again just like when he ran in the room.

"What is it?" Maka murmured.

"Your ankle." This time Black Star's touch wasn't soft, grabbing at the joint and twisting almost too quickly for Maka to follow.

"I know she scratched me," Maka shook her head dismissively, "but it's nothing."

"Yeah," Black Star leaned a little closer, his eyes narrowing, "but since when do you bleed black?"


	23. Chapter 23

"Son? What's the problem?" The King was relaxing in his bed, a few letters strewn across the bedspread. His eyes were uneasily flicking from an out of breath Soul and the myriad of soldiers he'd dragged in with him.

Soul was having a difficult time formulating a response, his hand weakly waving away the practical platoon he'd brought with him. "Was mother here?"

"Well, yes, for a while," his father raised his eyebrows.

"Was she alright?" Soul pressed as he finally got enough air in his lungs.

"As far as I know." The King started to stack his letters and ease from the bed, crossing the room with deliberate steps. "Are _you_ alright?"

Soul shook his head with a sigh as he cleared some sweat from his brow. "Someone broke into our room. They tried to hurt Maka."

"Broke in?" His father's hands were instantly on his shoulders, shaking him. "Where were the guards?"

"Sent on a wild fucking goose-chase," Soul spat. "And it was…" He wanted to erupt, to spell out her name clear as day to his father, to end this but it suddenly struck him how effortless that had been for Medusa. Taking control here was too simple for her, so within her grasp that it struck Soul how easily it could have been his father or his mother, both of whom he doubted would be able to save themselves in the same way Maka had. "It was terrifying but I was worried about you two. No one's been here except for mother?"

"Just your mother, but-"

"Keep it that way," Soul's voice cracked and the order warbled into begging. "No one is to see you beside me and mother, that's it. Promise me."

His father's hands dug into his shoulders, "What's going on, Soul?"

"I don't know," he murmured helplessly as he eased the grip from his skin so he could get a step away, the rest of the possibilities urging his feet forward. "But I need all of you to be safe. So promise me."

"I promise," his father answered tentatively. "Go check on your mother, please."

"Right," Soul nodded swiftly as he turned for the door. He couldn't stop from returning to a run as soon as he hit the hallway. While their rooms were never far apart, it took an eternity for Soul to reach his mother's , finding the guards just as idle outside her door as they had been at his father's.

He knew better than to barge in but his knock was just as aggressive, rattling the door and giving way to her surprised voice from inside. "Who's there?"

"It's me, Mother," Soul tried to quell it from being a shout. The door thankfully slipped away from under his hand and without acknowledging the shock on her face, Soul pressed through the door and forced it shut behind him. "Mother, I need you to be honest with me."

"What's gotten into you?" The Queen narrowed her eyes as a soft hand came to his shoulder.

Soul grabbed it, clutching her fingers tightly. "Did you talk to the physician about Maka? I know the two of you backed her into this deal-"

"Soul," the Queen started to admonish but his grip on her fingers silenced her.

"Mother, I can ignore that, forget it, but my wife is pregnant," he urged the second half out like he was spitting his heart with it. "If anyone is putting that in jeopardy I _can't and won't_ forget it."

"I don't know what you mean." She wasn't pulling away and the concern was solidifying as her eyebrows folded downwards. "Did something happen to Maka?"

He finally let a shaky exhale, taking one last moment to examine the honesty reflected on his mother's face. "Someone tried to hurt her tonight, Mother. They broke into our room."

"What?" The Queen was instantly frantic, her other hand now gripping at him just like his father had. "Is she alright? Is the baby?"

"Fine," Soul breathed out a slow sigh of relief. "I just need you to promise me no one visits your room tonight other than father or me. That's it. And tomorrow…" he stole another desperate breath, "I'm going to have to figure _something_ out."

"I don't like this," the Queen urged quietly. "Why aren't you with her? And what happened to the guards?"

"It's alright…" Soul was once again trying to pry a death grip off his shoulders, this time bringing his mother's hands between them. "Black Star's with Maka. I think you'd be happy to know that she keeps herself fairly safe on her own." He added a meager laugh at the end, watching none of it placate his mother.

"You married a headstrong girl," his mother sighed.

"Like father like son," Soul offered daringly, getting a frown from her in reply. "Promise me one more thing, mother."

She shook her head softly before sighing again, "I don't know how promising you anything keeps your wife any safer, but if I have to…"

He let all the humor fall away for the moment as he squeezed her hands back to rapt attention. "No more dealing with the physician."

"Soul," his mother sighed.

"Maybe you thought you had the kingdom's best interests at heart-"

"I did," the Queen insisted as she brought away her hands. "Leave you childless? That would be _foolish_ , even if it was obvious that you did and _do_ favor her. It's not that I _wanted_ the alternative."

"You mean her death?" Soul offered with little forgiveness for the terseness. "Or my unhappiness with a different bride?"

Her lips crinkled, the words smoldering on her tongue before she rearranged them. "I certainly didn't want either of those things."

Soul's eyebrows practically hit his hairline as he let a soft laugh tremble from his lips. "I hope that's the truth," he slowly eased his hands out of hers, "but I have to get back to her so while I _want_ to press you I have to go."

"You shouldn't have left her in the first place," his mother huffed.

Soul let another weak chuckle rumble in his chest before he started for the door. "Don't let anyone else into your room, mother. Just be safe, please." He didn't wait for a reply or any more admonishment from her, just rushing out the door and back into the hallway. It only seemed logical to run again, to make the same desperate dash for her safety, but he forced steady footsteps. _I'm going to have to let her go soon, let her be responsible for her own safety and our child, and I know I'm going to be ridiculous enough as it is when I set eyes on her again._

So he reined in his heart, forcing it to settle as he reached the door and opened it, finding the two of them standing stiffly in the room. If he didn't know better, he would have assumed he'd caught them in the middle of a tryst, the two both unable to make eye contact with him at first, just exchanging a fleeting glance that seemed to exchange some wordless plea. It was Maka who managed to look at him first, a tentative smile stretching her lips. "Are your parents alright?"

"Both are fine," Soul couldn't help his brow from furrowing. "What happened here?"

"Maka _was_ hurt," Black Star almost instantly blabbed as Maka's head jerked towards him.

She was instantly moving towards him, her fist socking instantly into his side. "We said we were going to ease him into it!"

"He's going to be crazy either way!" Black Star's complaint was only softened by another punch, sucking the air from his stomach as he forcefully grabbed her fist. "Listen here, princess-"

"Hey!" Soul made both of them jump before he crossed the floor, forcefully parting the two of them. His grip shook both of them before he started again. "You'll both have plenty of time to fight with each other later. What I need now are some damn answers." He turned his head to Maka, "Are you alright? The baby?"

"It was a scratch," Maka offered quietly.

He sighed as he now set his eyes on Black Star, rattling him for good measure. "And?"

"The blood was black," Black Star practically barked back, still raring for a fight.

"What?" His arms fell limp as the word barely made it from his mouth.

"It's not anymore," Maka reassured him with her fingers smoothing his front and her voice trying to lure him back from shock. "I pricked my finger just a minute ago and that was normal."

"But…" Soul captured her hand, crushing it to his chest. "It was black, you're sure? When that girl tried to hurt you your blood turned black?"

"I think so," Maka let out with a trembling breath.

"It was definitely black," Black Star grumbled as he grabbed Soul's shoulder, trying to shake the shellshock off his face. "Look, did you do that weird practice today?"

"No," Soul muttered.

Black Star sighed with a certain level of finality. "Then it's just _in_ her now."

"We don't know that-" Maka started but the looks from both men cut her tongue, leaving her worrying at her lip. "But not all the time," she reminded after enough silence.

"It's the baby," Soul let the trembling horror lurch from his mind and out of his mouth.

Black Star tried to hold back a groan, reining it into a grumble as he threw up his hands. "Well, if it is there isn't much to do about it."

Soul let helpless eyes fall on Maka's and she tried to smile sweetly. "He's right. If it is that… well, we just have to wait and see."

" _You'll_ wait and see," he moaned as he turned from both of them, batting off hands and connections. "I won't _be_ there to do a fucking thing about it."

Black Star let out a long sigh before he turned to Maka. "I'm going to go interrogate the girl."

"Give us at least an hour, will you?" Maka murmured back.

"Yeah, at least," Black Star motioned helplessly at his best friend before shaking his head. "Keep your temper," he nudged Soul and received a hit back.

Soul grimaced, "I have my fucking temper it's-" but he cut the rest as Black Star ambled away, slamming the door behind him. "Fuck," he continued to iterate as he dug his hands in his hair and started pacing the floor.

"Soul…"

"Maka, not yet," he begged as he continued his frantic rhythm.

Maka pressed out a tired sigh as she moved close enough to grasp the back of his shirt on the next revolution. She tugged it tightly, demanding his feet to stop even though his hands refused. "Listen to me," it was a direct order and her hands moved to force him around and then moved to his to smooth them out of his hair. "I have a theory, and before you start, yes, it is the _best-case scenario_ of theories, but please listen."

As his only answer, Soul offered her a quick kiss, trying to taste the surety in her lips that he swore he saw in her eyes and hoped it would bring some calm to his heart.

Maka displayed her finger, showing the tiny pin-prick that was most definitely scarlet. "I did this, myself, after Black Star and I deliberated. I got a nice little speck of bright red blood." She placed a hand on his shoulder to keep her centered before she lifted her foot, showing off her ankle. "When I stepped on that girl in the middle of being frightened, anxious, sure I was in for a fight, and she scratched my ankle with her nails it bled black and like you said the black blood is liable to do it's mostly healed up already. So what's the difference?"

"You were in danger," Soul murmured.

"Don't you think…" She let a soft smile hit her lips as she took his hand and moved it to her stomach, encouraging his fingers to fan over where the swell would be in a few months. "... that the baby may have inherited more than one thing from you? Maybe there's the black blood, yes, but I think most of all it's desperate to protect its mother just as much as you are."

A warble of a breath crossed his lips after it pressed through his teeth. "Maka, I _want_ to believe that but what if it's not that the kid loves you just as much as I do but it's a fucking parasite just keeping you intact until it's ready?"

Maka shot air through her nose as she firmly pressed his hand against her. "Technically, no matter what, it _is_ just feeding off me," while that gave her a second of amusement she watched it only disgust him further. "But we already said there's nothing we can do _now_. When I get to Stein, I'll ask him. Maybe Papa can help as well or I'll find some way to communicate with Mira…" Maka shrugged helplessly. "I know that doesn't comfort you but to be honest, Soul, if you're sending me off tomorrow I need you to be alright with this part of it _right now_ because…"

"Because," he grumbled as he relaxed into her, letting his forehead touch hers, "because there's right now to worry about. You're going to leave right after the feast tomorrow."

Her fingers clenched into his shirt as the idea dug into her heart. "Is that an order?"

"Sorry, it kind of is." As an apology, he lifted his chin, pressing his lips to her forehead. "Do you want to be mad about it?"

"Absolutely," she shot back instantly before letting the rest of it crumble off her tongue weakly, "but between actually being pregnant and the attack… I understand."

His hands searched for skin, dipping between the ties in her gown to touch lightly at her warmth. "You want to pretend it's your idea?"

She giggled before letting her head rest on his shoulder and her arms moved around his neck to pull him close. "Too late, Black Star knows the truth so that's ruined. My idea can be you announce it at the end of the banquet, a quick, last-minute send off so that there's not a lot of time for any followers to prepare. And there are two carriages. One you see off with Liz as a decoy for me along with some soldiers for show and the other just Black Star and me."

"Just you two?" Soul sighed.

"Yes," Maka returned emphatically. "We don't need people asking questions when it's Stein who's doing the kidnapping. And even if he's a pain in the ass, Black Star is the best fighter you have. Better than ten regular soldiers at least."

Soul chuckled softly, "Be careful or I might tell him you said that."

"Show your wife at least a little loyalty," she muttered.

"I'll show my wife more than that…" He smirked as he tilted his head, capturing her lips. His fingers were traveling again, easing up her back and taking material with them, leaving her dress lopsided at the bottom. One hand traveled back to her stomach, resting there, fingers splayed as if he was the one reading for a soul. Thankfully, his touch was warm and welcome. "I'm going to try to believe you."

"About what?" she wondered breathlessly.

"That our baby's looking out for you while I can't." He let his fingers flex tenderly against her abdomen. "That maybe, just maybe it'll be something good."

Maka grinned, "If you gave it to me, I'm bound to think it has to be something good."

"Speaking of," his murmur bordered on excited as he nipped at her lips softly. "I did get you something."

"Oh?" Maka blissfully leeched the joy of the moment, ready to shelve any of the dark thoughts that she was sure would come back for her tomorrow as they traveled. "Is this the mysterious gift passed between you and Liz?"

"You saw that, huh?" He pulled away just enough to serve her a sour frown.

"Don't blame me that you're terrible at sneaking," she teased and as a reward lost his touch.

Soul was slowly moving from her to the desk, leaning and feeling around below the tabletop until his fingers found the secret ledge underneath. He freed the box and straightened, turning back to her and displaying it between him. "At least I'm good at hiding things. I was going to wait, but now… well…" All he could do was shrug in defeat as he pressed the box into her hands.

"You didn't have to." She played with the wood between her fingers.

"Yeah, I did," he corrected quickly, his hands closing around hers. "Never actually gave one to you."

Maka laughed, "Liar. The hairpin, and our whole wedding night was pretty much a gift."

"Told you I don't take credit for the hairpin, but I guess I should say this inspired it." She was moving too slow for him so he urged the box open for her, displaying the necklace inside. "Hope you don't think it's a copycat gift, just kind of thought you'd like a matching set."

"Oh, Soul…" She bit her lip to stop the trembling. It was a perfect match, albeit slightly smaller so that there wasn't a huge cumbersome blossom around her neck, but instead it was an ideally proportioned honeysuckle blossom along with a few black pearl berries dangling down at an angle.

"Next one I'll go for a different flower," he murmured with a short laugh. "Can't believe I'm asking this but is there one for motherhood?"

"I don't know," she shook her head slowly, her gaze still glued to the necklace. "Myrtle, orange blossom for a happy marriage," she continued deliriously as her eyes filled with tears.

"Which one do you like the best?"

The echo of the past hit her full force and the tears shimmied down her cheeks. Soul was quick to clear them and even quicker at lifting the necklace from the box and moving behind her to clasp it around her neck. It sunk perfectly, settling just above her cleavage and she ran her fingers along the pearls, letting them clink together. "I like this…" she murmured, her mind half wrapped in the past, the still small spark of disbelief at the idea that he'd always loved her swimming in her mind.

He leaned in, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling his nose to her cheek. "So I could get away with honeysuckle for the rest of our lives? You're making it a little too easy."

"As long as it's for the rest of our lives," she sighed heavily as she let her weight press into him.

"That's the promise," he savored leaving a kiss on her cheek before continuing. "I told you marrying you was happening one way or another and you… you've bonded our _souls_ , Maka. There's nothing tearing us apart."

She moved his hands back to her stomach before she sighed sweetly, "Not to mention now there's a perfect mix of us here."

"A mix, huh?" he chuckled. "Was kind of hoping for a little girl. Just like you."

"A girl?" Maka slid her head against his shoulder, her eyes narrowing at him incredulously. "Everyone always wants a boy first."

"Why?" Soul shrugged. "Just to be the next King? I'd rather just see more of you in the world."

"Then…" Maka stared at him, the wonder still keeping her words slow. _He wants a girl. Anyone else and I would think it was ridiculous but…_ "What would you name her?"

His eyebrows shot up as he stared at her. "A name, huh?" He hummed out as the wheels turned in his mind, buying time with another few kisses moving from her cheek to her neck. "OK, know-it-all, what's a name that means honeysuckle?"

While she had been trying to envelop herself in the bliss of this, a sudden coldness invaded her heart. "Yaara," trembled from her lips.

Soul stiffened, his arms flexing firmly around her. "Your mother's name, right?"

 _Did I tell him that? In one of our whispered conversations I must have, but ages ago, and probably buried in something else but here he is remembering._ "Yes." Maka could feel the tears taking her again and this time her hands came to her face to clear them.

"Is that alright?" His fingers massaged softly into her stomach as his lips traveled along her shoulder.

"It's…" A stuttering breath eked out across her lips. "It would make sense, wouldn't it? She's gone. It would honor her and…" The idea caught against her heart and tore, leaving Maka to clear another wave of tears.

"Think about it," he murmured.

Maka tried not to, clearing it back with all the rest of the mess that she'd see to when she wasn't with him. "Wes if it's a boy."

It was Soul's turn to feel his heart lurch. "You're really trying to make my mother happy, aren't you?" He battled to urge a laugh from his mouth.

"It wouldn't make you happy?"

He let out a warm breath against her neck and let his cheek rest there as the idea settled in his head. "Maybe it would," he whispered and his arms moved from her stomach to wrap around her, melding her back to his chest. "I'd be happy just to have you, just to have a child that's healthy, not-"

"Don't," she hushed him quickly. "I want to go back to being blissfully unaware right now. Just for tonight, got it? I have a beautiful gift, a wonderful husband, a baby to celebrate and for at least the next hour, that's all I want to think about."


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OK, so we know I love giving you sweet SoMa moments, but I couldn't help myself and threw a decent Stein/Marie in here because they deserved it (and I set it up). Also, **sexual content** ahead.

Stein was not supposed to come home, he was well aware of his timeline and how it should be handled. There were things to attend to, to further plan the steps of Black Star and Maka but didn't he have an order from his King? Wasn't this paper in his hand, clenched like it could take flight from his fingers, something that he had to deliver? That at least was the rationale as he entered the castle, climbed the stairs, and found a surprised Marie in attendance with a room full of ladies.

"We have to discuss a message from the King, my lady," he let nothing come through his voice, flat but underneath the surface electric.

Marie glanced around at the room, trying to hide her own dismay at the idea he'd come home too early before she slowly rose to her feet. "Excuse me…" She took the elbow he offered and felt the rush as his feet flew to bring her to the closest spot that allowed privacy, the study. "You're not supposed to be home," was the first useless thing that she uttered as he shut the door behind them.

Even though his decree in front of the ladies had screamed of seriousness he was grinning as he leaned against the desk, taking in a breath that sounded like his first in months.

"Did something happen to Maka? Soul? Black Star?" Each name didn't seem to affect him and Marie let this bewildered fear come over her. "What news do you have then, Franken?"

"There's plenty to tell." He left that as dangling bait that brought Marie a few steps closer, enough that she could grasp his arms and give him a firm shake.

"You're testing my patience," Marie snapped.

His sigh was strange and wistful, making Marie's hold on him tighten. "We're going to be grandparents."

"Oh," the sound quivered out slowly from Marie's lips as the tears announced themselves quickly. "I know I should be happy, that she's really safe from that stupid deal, but…"

"The plan's the same either way," he let his voice drift down to just above a whisper. "While she's away from Soul, I'll keep her as safe as I can and you know that Black Star will do the same, and most of all, our girl will keep herself like always."

Marie blinked at him, her brows furrowing. "You're being strange."

"How?" A playful tone touched over the word as one of his hands came to her cheeks one after the other to clear the tears.

"Maka having a baby seems to be bringing out the paternal side of you." It was barely a statement and more a question, her eyes still boring into him.

"It's more than that." That smile was quick on his lips again and he leaned closer, letting his breath meet her cheek before his lips did softly. "How is our next little one?"

Marie sighed, a sweet mix of longing for this closeness and the reality of how little of it she was allowed. She carefully took his hand and slipped it into the folds of her outer robe until it firmly pressed against the gown underneath. "Excited to see you, apparently. Kicking strong since you walked in."

"Already the opposite of Benjamin," he whispered as he clutched tighter into the fabric. Stein took in the motion under his fingers as he carefully read the little soul buzzing around under Marie's. "This one's going to be like you, Marie."

"Maybe," she murmured. "I… Franken, please, what else is there?" Marie was trying to remove his hand, to part them with a step back but Stein was quick to refuse her, his arm snaking swiftly around her waist to pull the line of her body to his.

He could feel the swell of her stomach between them along with the warmth of her skin that he missed underneath. "I love you, Marie."

"What?" Her eyes expanded to their limit, her breath gone without hope of returning.

"I love you," he repeated easily. "I have since the moment you came down to the training yard with your father. You saved me from a beating, one that I most definitely deserved but… that was the first time you laid a hand on me and I knew. I was cruel, terrible, a monster and you… you were always going to be the lady I served, the one I loved more than anything else."

"Franken…" She was trembling, still trying in vain to pull away from him but he held fast, gliding his lips from her cheek to the edge of her mouth, just catching the trembling side of her lip.

"Say it back to me, Marie," he urged before planting another almost at center.

"I told you," her voice cracked as she let weak fists knock into his chest. "I don't… we _can't_ say that. Not like this, Franken. I can't."

He sighed but she was surprised by the lack of disappointment in it, instead trickling out with just as much warmth as his breath. "You can, Marie, because right now I'm asking you to be my wife."

"Franken," parted her lips as a distressed groan. He let her get away finally, her hands coming to her hair to tug in frustration. "I have borne you a son, I'm carrying another child as we speak and you _toy_ with me? I could kill you, you know that? You know how much that means to me and to say it so flippantly..." The tears were pressing down her cheeks as she attempted to bat him away until her hand hit paper instead of skin.

"The _future_ King sent this." He sounded breathless, helpless, and Marie stared at him wide-eyed.

She let her fingers tentatively touch at the letter and he urged it closer to her, making her jump. "Soul…?" Marie was bewildered as she finally took the gift from his hands, opening the seal that Stein had broken. She read out loud, not able to see the way Stein's smile ached across his cheeks. _"As reward for duties completed in the field and in exchange for the promise of loyalty to the council of war under the crown of Prince Soul, future King, Franken Stein is to be given the title of lordship and all responsibilities under it…"_ A gasp fluttered across her lips as she quickly brought her hand to her mouth to quell the sob that wanted to follow after.

Stein pushed off the desk to get close enough to her to peel her fingers away so he could go back to littering every inch of her lips with kisses. "Say it, Marie," he urged again only after stealing every last bit of breath from her.

Her cheeks were awash with tears again but a slow smile was parting her lips along with the soft whisper, "I love you."

"Be my wife, then," the matter of fact statement made her laugh lightly. "Before our second son comes."

"A boy?" Marie bemoaned instantly. "Franken, _no_."

"Yes," a pleasant smirk followed that as he ran a finger along her stomach. "But at least this one will be more like you than me, I promise."

Marie collapsed into him, letting his shirt catch the rest of her tears. "I wanted a girl."

"We can try again after this one," he murmured against her ear, earning another short laugh from her.

"Says you who doesn't have to carry them," she chided. Marie took time to catch her breath, to leech every last bit of comfort from the way his arms now suddenly felt permanent.

Stein smoothed his hand over her hair, tilting her head in the process so he could capture one more touch of her lips before whispering, "Where's my son?"

"With Auntie," her voice started to warble again as her eyes were reminded to cry again, an unfortunate side effect of when she carried children. "They should be in the playroom."

For the first time his amusement broke, his smile dwindling. "Are you against me telling him?"

Marie shook her head firmly, "As long as I can come."

Stein gave her one last kiss before waiting for her to clear her face. After a few deep breaths from her, Stein offered his elbow and led her out of the room. He wasn't as pressing as before, slow footsteps bringing them down the corridors until the sound of the familiar little voice was calling to both of their ears. Marie edged forward, leaving Stein's arm so she was the first in the room, kneeling almost instantly as the sweet little boy that was nothing more than a spitting image of Stein quickly folded himself into her arms.

"Ben, darling," Marie cooed as she pulled him away just before the tears started in her eyes again. "Can you listen for a minute?"

"Yes, Mama," Ben blinked at her expectantly before his eyes hit the doorway, finding Stein there. His stare flicked back quickly to his mother, eyebrow furrowing for a moment.

"Go ahead, darling, it's just us. You can talk to him." Marie smoothed a hand over his hair before pushing him in Stein's direction.

Ben took a tentative step closer to Stein who knelt to meet him. "Hello, Papa," the boy offered hesitantly.

"You've been a very good boy, Ben," Stein had to pause to clear his throat, his eyes touching on Marie for just a moment before looking back at his son. "I know it's hard keeping our secret, but you have. I…" Reaching for the boy had always seemed impossible whether it was to keep appearances or just because of the inadequacies Stein felt in deserving the name _papa_ to begin with, but he forced his hand forward to press gently against the boy's cheek. "I've got a reward for you since you've done everything you could."

Those pale green eyes that so perfectly mirrored his own popped wide. "What is it?"

"There won't be a secret anymore, Ben." As he moved his thumb along Ben's cheek he was surprised by the natural feel to it, the way the boy didn't flinch or turn from him. "You can call Mama _mama_ and me _papa._ I can… be with you as much as you'd like and… you'll have a new baby brother soon to play with."

"I don't have to pretend?" Ben only broke from Stein's grasp to look back at his mother.

"Papa's right, Ben." Marie pressed her hand to her mouth while the other settled on her chest, trying to hold in the bursting sensation.

As Ben turned back to look at Stein, he scooped the little boy into his arms, bringing him the few steps closer to Marie so he could be in the range of both. Though he fidgeted, Ben let Stein deposit him in Marie's lap to be pressed between the two of them.

"I'm not sure how much he thinks this is a reward," Marie let a laugh tremble through her lips as she smoothed a hand over her son's hair. "But I think he'll be happier. He's… always said one day he'd be with _papa_ and now…"

Stein pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Will you be happier?"

"That's a stupid question," Marie nudged him as she let out a long breath. "That is _such_ a stupid question."

* * *

Torturing a _girl_ seemed like pushing it, but Black Star wasn't exactly above it. It also helped that he could channel a little of Soul, contemplating all of the things that she had planned to do to Maka. That was enough to piss him off to the point where gender didn't exactly make a difference. First, he went to Liz, sending her off to get Kim as low-key as possible before meeting him in the dungeon. Thankfully those dunderheaded guards from earlier managed to at least follow _this_ order and had the girl alone in a cell, the two of them flanking the entry. He waited at the bottom of the stairs, holding his breath for footsteps.

Black Star stopped Liz and Kim right at the bottom, letting them only just barely peek their heads out to see between the bars. "Kitchen girl?" he murmured.

"No," Liz shook her head with every last ounce of surety.

"Kim?"

Kim snuck an extra glance before narrowing her eyes at Black Star. "Does she have pockmarks around her mouth? At the corners almost like a dimple on each side?"

"Sure does," he let the grin take him.

"Eruka. Medusa's patsy. She's not smart enough to do what I do, but she's loyal to a fault. I think Medusa has something on her, she's always so skittish, afraid for her life." Kim shook her head slowly as the moments replayed in her mind. "Good luck getting her to talk. I don't think she's willing _or_ able to rat on Medusa."

Black Star grunted, "Just leave that to me. Kim, get going before Medusa even gets a whiff that you might be hanging around us."

Kim sighed, "You know, I'll be ecstatic when this is over."

"You and me both," Black Star nodded with as much empathy as he could muster. Liz and Kim exchanged short looks before Kim pattered back up the stairs. "Look, Liz, in an hour, check on Maka, OK? Bring her some not-poisoned tea or whatever the hell it is she likes."

Liz offered raised eyebrows before she let out a low whistle. "Oh, and since when do _you_ pamper the princess?"

He snorted as he rolled his eyes, "Pamper? I just said tea, not a whole fucking banquet."

"Oh, the captain of the guard _does_ have a heart," Liz crooned as she flicked at his shoulder.

"You know what," he snapped. "Go up there and tell her I said to go fuck herself then. _Shit_. Try to do one nice thing…" Black Star waved her off as he erupted into the hallway, making both of his soldiers jump. "Both of you, take a walk. Top of the stairs for fifteen minutes."

One handed him the key and then both trudged past him. Black Star opened the cell door and quickly closed it behind him, tucking the key into his shirt for safe-keeping. The girl was glumly crouched in the corner, her knees pressed tightly to her chest. She seemed to appraise him for just a moment before letting her eyes drift back to the cobblestone floor without a word.

Black Star squatted in front of her, his hands patting to his knees amiably. "Listen, Eruka."

Her name made her eyebrows flutter momentarily.

"I have _a lot_ planned for you," Black Star let the excitement drip from his words. "Because I know who you work for already, so I get to skip the boring stuff and go straight to finding out what the _fuck_ you thought you were going to do to the princess."

Eruka's lips were still pressed tightly and her eyes were anywhere but with his.

Black Star sucked his teeth before snorting out a laugh, "So, tell me, what did Medusa tell you to do to Maka?" He was pleased to see the name hit like a hammer to a nail, her face growing paler if that was at all possible. While patience was never his forte, Black Star gave her more than enough time to formulate an answer, even though she ended up with none. He sighed, almost sweetly like a love-sick fool before he leaned closer to her. "Guess not, but maybe you can answer this: do you like your toes or your fingers better?" This shot her eyes back to him as he shrugged. "Hell, I guess we'll find out."

* * *

Maka's breath was still thin as she was recovering from that fluttering sensation in her stomach. Soul hadn't removed his fingers but ran a thumb absently along the crease of her leg as he was pressing more kisses along her neck. With Soul it always seemed to end up as ' _ask and you shall receive_ ' because as soon as she mentioned bliss he was quick to move her to the bed. There was no way to forget what not even a full day would bring but at the very least he was adamantly offering a brief intermission. "Come here…" she finally came back to herself enough that she could pull at his hip, trying to coax him.

"Not yet," he murmured right next to her ear before he tenderly sucked on the lobe.

That gave her chills, making her fingers tense into his skin. "What about you?"

"I'm not in a hurry," he whispered huskily as the rest of his fingers slipped along the joint of her leg before drifting up her side. "You feeling alright?"

Maka let out a snort of a laugh, "Alright is never how I'd describe this feeling. You're getting well-practiced."

His grin was there in reply but it was quickly fading as his lips pressed slowly to her collarbone. "I wish I had more time."

"I thought I told you, one hour, Soul," she urged. A frown came to her lips as he sighed but it was short-lived, a coy curl starting at the edge as she rolled in the bed. "Don't say I didn't warn you." She caught his hands that had come to try to steady her and pushed them down into the bed at the wrists as she straddled him.

"Maka…" It had been a while since she'd seen him blush, mostly seeming used to the bedroom behavior but a bright pink suddenly lit his cheeks.

"What should be your punishment?" She stumbled over the words since this kind of teasing was not exactly something she'd practiced, but the look on his face fed her courage.

Soul stared up at her, dumbfounded and blinking as he flexed his hands under her hold. "Punishment?"

She could feel the heat rising on her own cheeks but she resisted, adding a little purr to her voice. "You didn't do as I asked. I wanted bliss and you tried to ruin it. So, what should I do to you?"

"Maka," he laughed softly as he tried to push up against her but found her locking him in place. She didn't weigh much, but her legs almost seemed dug into the bed and as for his hands, Maka left him with no wiggle room and a grip fit for a wrestling match instead of the soft kind of bedroom action they'd taken to so far. With a fresh hint of color to his cheeks, Soul realized she was serious. "Isn't… not being able to touch you punishment enough?" he offered hopefully.

"Oh, that's _cute_ ," Maka smirked before she gave a swift shake of her head. "But I don't think so." She lifted her hips slightly and when she lowered them again it came with a quivering breath from his lips because she had readjusted just to get him trapped between her legs, her slick opening pressed against his shaft. "Does this feel _alright_?" she quipped playfully. Just as his lips parted for an unsure answer she rocked her hips, leaving just a shuddering nonsensical noise to come instead. She stopped at his tip. "More?"

"Please." He had no shame for the breathless beg especially as he was falling in love all over again with the curl of her lip, that beautiful reminder that while this was playful, Maka was no stranger to taking charge.

She leaned closer, pressing more weight on his hands as she used it for leverage to slide against him again. "Do you want to kiss me?"

"Yes," he let come with a moan. Her lips hovered over him, coaxing him to lift his head to try to capture her mouth but finding her just out of his reach, a power-drunk smile on her face. "You're torturing me."

Maka nodded before dipping her head just enough to catch his lower lip, offering him half a kiss that turned into her teeth pulled at the soft flesh. She stroked him again and felt his hips come to meet her. "Stay still," she warned.

"Maka…" A little growl left his lips as he tried to resist the motion again but was powerless against the reaction to her touch.

In reply she lifted her hips, leaving him without her warmth. For a second, Maka enjoyed the powerlessness that overcame his face, the way his lust-laden eyes stormed up at her as he let out a frustrated sigh. In her next breath, it hit her, that deeply hidden whisper that echoed in her. "I'll let you go if you promise."

"What?" he was quick to ask.

She contemplated it, the moment of weakness in the middle of all her power with him, but wasn't that the entirety of them? She had always been powerful, singularly driven, talented. When Soul came along it was a strange combination of opposites, their partnership always offering strength tainted by fragility. _My only vulnerability has been him._ Even though she released one of his hands, Soul stayed still, looking up at her expectantly. That hand positioned him as she lowered her hips again, a contented sigh breaking both of their lips as she brought him to his depth inside her and leaned close enough that he could reach the lips he had so wanted.

"What?" He repeated because the break was dragging on and while seconds ago he'd been teetering on the edge of losing his mind, that look in her eye and the new flimsiness in her grip forced clarity to the surface.

Maka swallowed slowly, letting a weak breath drift in through her mouth. "I'm the only person who will ever be in your bed."

Soul sat up as best he could, free from her hold so that his arms could wrap around her as his lips stayed only a breath away. "Is this more of those damn maids running their mouths?" he hissed with little patience.

"No," she let out a weak laugh, "I'm just… going to be gone, Soul."

He kissed her forcefully, pushing those words back in her mouth as if that made them not true. One of his hands settled on her waist, feeling her move her hips to please him in the middle of the pain. He broke their lips just enough to let the words pass between them. "I'm yours. You're mine. I won't replace you just like I know you won't replace me."

It was nothing more than fact from his lips and Maka found herself laughing softly as she pressed her forehead to his. "There's no one like you."

He pressed his growing smirk back to her lips, searching her mouth before he broke to pant out, "Now, do I have you beg for you to finish what you started?"

"What?" Maka murmured, her head moving back enough to blink those green eyes at him in confusion.

"That act that wasn't an act," he chuckled. "I didn't know you could be tough in bed too."

"Oh…" For a moment a blush flushed her cheeks, "You liked that?"

He nodded before nipping at her lips again. "I don't know how you do it but you always fucking surprise me."

Her hands searched for his as she took to sucking at his lower lip, teasing out his kisses. Instead of forcing at his wrists, she intertwined their fingers as she pushed his hands back to the bed, easing him against the sheets. She hovered out of his reach again as she started to ease her hips, experimenting with rotation and speed. Soul offered breathless gasps and soft groans, his red eyes trying to focus on her but slowly hazing over as she used their hands as leverage to pick up speed.

He lifted his head to reach for her mouth and Maka leaned just enough to give him a sweet taste before the helpless moan rumbled in his throat, her name tumbling a few breathless times from his lips. It was only then that she slowed her hips, letting his fingers get away and sink into her hair, urging her back to his mouth so he could share every last bit of euphoria as if he could breathe it from his mouth to hers.


	25. Chapter 25

Parties brought that same deeply ingrained feeling back to Soul, that eternal wish that Wes was still available to be the center of attention, a stage that, when alive, his brother had never shied from. Soul refused to grow into the limelight because he hadn't been forced to, he'd lived with the expectation that he could be a nobody. Even with the marriage, the crown, the potential mantle of Kingship to be passed, Soul still let a small part of him yearn for that and to wonder what it would have been like to live a simple life.

It was easy to imagine being back in the village outside Marie's, Maka cradling a lively but entirely normal infant in her arms that in less than a year would chase him around to the sweet tune of ' _papa, papa'_ as he came home after whatever work he could take to keep them supported and happy. It was a divine daydream, something that was so far from his grasp as he watched Maka put on the perfect show of princess, carrying a baby inside her that turned her blood black at will, and knowing that there would be no coming home to her tomorrow. It was all a bitter pill that he had to swallow while he played the handsome prince.

The night ebbed and flowed smoothly enough, the King and Queen seeming to have forgotten the turmoil of the other night, or at least put it aside to shower well-wishes on the heir Maka carried. His mother even surprised him, finding her whispering in Maka's ear more than once without disturbing the smile on either of their faces. It was almost too much to bear, the idea that this could be a beautiful time for their family to come together, for them to be in love, but it was just fate to have it stolen away.

Soul edged to the side, finding Black Star leaning against the wall. "Anything else from the girl?"

"I told you last night was useless," Black Star shrugged. "This afternoon cost her the rest of her fingernails and still nothing. Meanwhile, Medusa's here in the crowd like she doesn't deserve to be gutted."

He suppressed a grimace before forcing a nod. "I'm going to check on Liz, make sure she's ready along with the carriage."

Black Star raised his eyebrows, "You sure you don't want me to do it? It's _your_ night."

"It's _her_ night," he urged from his mouth in the evenest tone he could manage. "I need some air anyway."

"I'll give you ten minutes," Black Star huffed. "Unless Medusa moves, then I'm coming straight for you."

"Fifteen." Soul tried to send what he hoped looked like a disinterested glance Medusa's way, feeling his stomach turn at the joy on the physician's face. "And I almost want to say if she moves just fucking kill her."

"Don't tempt me," Black Star grumbled.

Wordlessly, he patted a hand to Black Star's shoulder before pushing past him and into the hall. There were brief pauses along the way since too many guests had trickled into the entryways for him to get completely alone. It wasn't until he ducked into the kitchen stairwell that the interruptions stopped and he could fasten his feet to the liveliest part of the castle. There was nothing but hustle and bustle between pots, with trays, and flagons of wine passing in front of him. He was lucky that this was a place he often used to frequent so he received little attention besides the errant congratulations that sounded heartier than any he dealt with in the hall.

He edged into the storeroom and then down the stairs to the cellars, cutting last-minute into the corridor that led to the back exit from the kitchens to the yard. The door was only open a crack and a hooded figure was eyeing the outside. "Sorry to keep you so bored," Soul stifled a laugh as he made the person jump.

"I suppose if it's for prince and country," Liz offered with a roll of her eyes as she slipped the hood off her blond hair. "At least Patty's been sneaking me some food. It's better than the wedding."

"Well, Mother was about as excited about that as a funeral, but this…" Soul offered a helpless shrug before he sighed.

"She'll be fine," Liz urged as she peeked back out the doorway. "And if it helps, it's been quiet. The carriage has sat out there without even a mouse running under it."

Soul let a wan smile sit on his lips. "In fifteen minutes I'll bring her down and we'll set you off in the carriage. Over the south bridge and onto the main road and you should be to Marie's in four weeks at the latest. You'll wait for Maka there, whenever she gets there," he finished glumly before digging into his pocket to retrieve the letter. "Can you give this to Marie?"

"Me?" Liz took the paper regardless of the incredulity. "Why not Maka?"

"Something might happen," he had to pause as his stomach churned at the idea. "Or she'd probably read it and maybe not give it to her."

"Oh?" Liz wiggled her eyebrows at him. "And who's to say I'll deliver it like a good girl if my lady would prefer that it didn't reach its final destination?"

Soul let out a sharp breath as he ran a desperate hand through his hair. "Because no matter what the fucking danger is, Liz, I _need_ to be there when Maka has that baby, got it? I have to. So deliver the damn letter and if you really want to be a good friend urge Marie the hell along."

"Maka wants you to be there, Soul," Liz chided.

"She does, but maybe not enough that she'd dare to put _me_ at risk, not even a little," Soul prodded into his chest almost in an attempt to keep his heart from splitting his ribs. "And while we both know _I'm_ overprotective, sometimes I think I've got nothing on Maka's fear of losing me."

Liz's sigh was protracted as she hid the letter in the pocket of her cloak. "Fine, fine. But if she finds out, I'm not getting in the middle. You'll make up some extravagant lie about how Marie got the idea to send for you."

"As long as I'm there for her," Soul grumbled as he waved off any more from her and started back down the corridor. As he hit the split, Soul paused listening to the soft echo of footsteps. Telling the direction was impossible so he stayed motionless, trying his best to gauge location. His waiting was fruitless, only giving him the sound of fading away steps before he started up the stairs and back into the lively kitchen. Even though everything felt out of place, none of it looked like it, so he let the momentary sidetracking fall away from him. Instead, he was quick to get back to the hall, exchanging glances with Black Star before coming to Maka's side, a sharp nod and a hand at the small of her back telling everything he couldn't.

Maka met his eyes, a soft smile aching on her lips before she moved back to the dais and ascended. "The prince and I would like to thank you all for celebrating this joyous occasion with us." She risked another glance at him, hating the saccharine smile he was projecting when she could see the tension in his eyes. "A child brings happiness but also responsibility, and much of that is tied to traditions that we hold dear. To honor those long-held ceremonies, I will return to my home for long enough to complete a ritual at the temple there. The prince and I have decided that honoring our past is just as important as taking care of our future, so I hope you'll add hopes for a safe journey with your well-wishes tonight."

It felt sick to go through the motions, to touch tenderly at her stomach and stare lovingly at her face while most of the crowd murmured in agreement. Stein hadn't been wrong, this had stirred the older vassals in just the right way, frothing up murmurs of the return to old ways. _Which if you all remember includes witches,_ Soul thought bitterly as he edged Maka closer to the King and Queen. He was surprised by his mother's lack of a reaction, only her eyes tugging at him silently with something close to pleading. Soul could hardly offer her more than a soft whisper next to her ear, "This is what will keep her safe."

The King and Queen did nothing more but give what Maka asked for, short murmurings of 'safe journey' and looks that struck Soul as oddly mournful. _But really, isn't that what I'm doing too? Thinking about all that I could lose and already feeling like it's gone?_ He tried to tuck that away as she led him back the way he had just come, Black Star close on their heels.

He paused just before the kitchens, grabbing Soul's arm. "I'll meet you two in a little bit."

"We should spread out the times, anyway," Maka dismissed him with a wave. "Just don't be later than twenty minutes."

"Yes, _princess_ ," Black Star snorted as he waltzed away before the comeback.

Maka flicked her hair as she turned back on the trail, wandering into the kitchen as Soul followed dejectedly behind. They'd hit the first step on the way to the cellars when she screeched to a halt. Soul barely got a handle on his steps, having to clutch to at her shoulders to steady and keep from taking a tumble. Even with his hands firm, Maka turned and clutched at his collar, bowing his neck enough that she could firmly plant her lips against his.

He wanted it to be sweet, perfect, but all he could feel was the chill of it. "I thought we said no goodbyes," he grumbled hoarsely.

"It's not," she murmured as she opened her eyes slowly, wishing to still find his closed but seeing nothing but that red burning back at her. "I'm just saying I love you."

Something too weak to be called a sigh left his lips, "Always."

Maka nodded her head as she nibbled at her lip. "Would you do something for me?"

"What is it?"

She reached for one of his hands, plucking it from her shoulder and bringing it between them. Her other hand was reaching into the folds of her gown, taking out a little purse. Undoing the drawstring required both hands but she paused to sigh as if forlorn to let him go before opening it. She plucked out a simple gold ring and pressed it into his palm. "If you can, will you wear this while I'm gone?"

"A ring?" He turned it over between his fingers before testing it. It was snug but fit well enough on the finger named for it.

"It's my mother's," she whispered before reaching out and letting her finger trace the gold on his skin. "It's blessed, supposed to keep a person safe from demons and witches. My father gave it to her when they married and… it's the only thing she left behind."

 _Why would she leave it?_ Soul bit that back on his tongue as he moved his hand to caress her cheek. _And we both know that she left more than that._ "I'll keep it safe. Though should I be concerned that it fits me just as well as it fits her?"

Maka managed a short laugh, "You do have fine hands, Soul."

"Are you calling them lady-like?" he grunted as he used those hands to smooth over her cheeks and tilt her head close enough that he could breathe the next sentence out across her lips. "You like them well enough when we-"

She caught the rest of the sentence in a kiss. When they parted it was for the woeful cry to eke from her lips. "Just let it keep you safe, please."

"And this will keep you safe," he pressed a hand to her stomach. "I'm going to believe that."

Almost unwillingly, Maka stepped one rung lower, leaving his hands slowly slipping from her. "We should go." At that moment, Maka could read it in his eyes, that wonderful daydream he had of the two of them, that secret wish for that normal life. She let it linger in her own mind for just another second before turning and continuing down the stairs. Without thought, his hand reached and clenched into the back of her cloak, not stopping her movements but keeping a lifeline as they turned into the corridor. "Hello, Liz," Maka called sweetly.

"Everything end up alright in the hall?" Liz flashed a smile before tucking her hood up, obscuring most of her face.

"Every last bit of pomp and circumstance," Maka muttered as she moved to stand across from her, a hand turning the sliver of open door to a full crack. "Just stay safe on the journey to Marie's. I'll see you there when… well, just before it's time." The girls exchanged soft touches to each other's hands, offering just the modicum of comfort that they could before Soul took Liz's arm.

It was simple. With just a hint of golden hair and the prince escorting her out, there was no reason for anyone to believe that this wasn't Maka being led to the carriage, gently lifted in by her loving husband, and closed away for a safe journey home. It was even more believable as Soul took a few shaky steps into the yard, watching the dust kicked up by the wheels. He moved far enough that he could see straight down the road, eyeing the south bridge that would be the last line to cross before the main road.

Anyone watching would have swooned at the romance of it all, since as soon as Soul reached that spot he turned sharply, running back to the yard to grab a horse and mount it. To unassuming eyes, it was just the prince riding after her probably wanting one last sweet goodbye. But if anyone was to look from Soul's perspective, they would see the real horror of the moment: a small, silver-haired head had peeked too soon from the underside of the carriage and a terrifyingly hulking man, a visage so large that it was clear to see, was standing in the middle of the bridge.


	26. Chapter 26

There had been a little piece of Soul that was still forgotten, buried in that last bit of haze of black blood until the moment he leaped on the back of that horse. Maka had probably not even noticed its absence since for the most part their time back together had been slow, never having to draw a sword and show that particular side of him. Now it suddenly snapped into place, his mind racing and formulating every step forward.

 _You are the distraction for the distraction. They attack you, forget about Liz who they'll never know isn't Maka. They can't,_ _ **won't**_ _kill you because Medusa needs you. You keep them busy long enough for the guards to get wind of it all and then you're out as soon as reinforcements are here._ And he could see it, each step planned perfectly from one minute to the next. Trails and possibilities were being ironed out as he skidded the horse to a halt and jumped to the ground, pulling his sword from his belt.

The man seemed impossibly tall, towering almost two heads worth over him, a strange white eye staring at him along with an amused regular one. The giant was on the verge of laughter as he whispered something unintelligible, a sudden spindle of ice disrupting the carriage, sending it tottering but thankfully falling back to right. The swing threw Eruka to the dust but as she tumbled, Soul watched her cling frog-like to the side of the bridge, her fingers splayed like they were sucking to the stone.

 _Two witches_ … Soul only risked one more glance at Eruka, finding her motionless and watchful before letting a second of relief hit him as the carriage continued. He rushed the man, but the stillness should have told him this wasn't the right plan. Regardless, Soul let a momentary sense of victory swell in him as his sword slid into the lower portion of the man's chest. "You're a little too relaxed for being run-through," Soul complained, that joy almost immediately receding.

"Relaxed is just my nature," the man replied jovially.

Soul pulled his sword back just in time to watch the skin fuze back together. _Can a witch do that?_ "What the fuck are you?"

"I'm part of the immortal clan," he crooned through a wolfish grin. "And I guess I'll show off my true form since you're here, _prince_." The air pressure changed, a surge of wind forcing him back as the teeth in the man's mouth sprouted sickly from the human lips that began to recede. A disgusting, guttural howl reverberated through Soul's head as hair grew along the man's arms, talons now in the place of his fingers. "Werewolf Free at your service. Eh, who the hell am I kidding? I don't serve: I'm here to break the rules."

He'd been too distracted by the transformation to hear the other approaching hoofbeats, but Soul's blood ran cold as soon as he heard her firm voice behind him.

"Soul, get away from him!" Maka reined in her horse at the foot of the bridge, dropping to the ground. "His soul is out of control, we have to-"

"Get out of here!" Soul screamed as he turned to her and motioned at her horse.

"We're fighting _together_ ," Maka snapped back.

He didn't hesitate for a second, his words completely running over hers. "Absolutely fucking _not_."

The bickering was closed with Free streaking in front of Soul's vision, cutting Maka out of his sight completely. His punch hit her in the shoulder, talons ripping open the flesh as the force threw her back. It should have just been a tumble in the dust but after more grumbling whispers under Free's breath, a pillar of ice appeared, stopping Maka short with a sick thud.

"Maka!" There was barely enough time for the scream to rip from his lips, definitely not even a second to spare for him to lunge for her before Free swung a kick, splintering the ice and sending the shards Soul's way. They were blinding and Soul could do nothing but fumble in the disorientation as the cuts oozed on his forearms. A fist of terror squeezed around his heart as he heard another crack of ice. His mind was painting a picture, her blood painting the bridge in grotesque splatters but it was a groan from Free's mouth instead.

Maka's voice hit Soul as a mystified whisper, "He impaled himself."

"I'm a little out of practice," Free complained as he shimmied, trying to dislodge from the shard. "Your mother had me locked up for a hell of a long time."

"My mother?" That had Maka on her feet and rushing him. Her sword slid easily between the cords of Free's neck but that didn't stop him, forcing Maka to take a view scrambling steps back. Suddenly her heels were teetering at the edge of the bridge, feeling that strange disorientation of the back of her calves hitting the small lip of stone that was the only thing keeping her from a plunge into roaring water. She had just peered over the edge for a second when her head snapped back, the clear cracking of ice urging her movement.

Soul was in front of her now, cutting down a shard that Free had thrown her way. "I told you to _get out of here_ ," he hissed.

"I don't understand why you're being so impossible, why you expect me to look the other way while you fight!" Maka spat as she planted a foot on the edge of the wall, using it to roll forward and slide behind Free, aiming her sword to cut out one of his legs.

"And I don't understand why you're being so damn stubborn," he cried back. All of his plans had been thrown out the window, suddenly completely unsure how to navigate her movements along with his. She was just too brash, trying too hard to be courageous and strong without working with him. It was almost paralyzing, and he found himself trapped as he watched Free create the sphere of ice. _Stab it, stop the trajectory, something, damn it, Soul, something,_ he was begging himself to no avail.

Instead, the giant orb hit her head-on, sending her toppling back into the dust.

"Maka!" He was scrambling now, falling over his own feet to get next to her, to at least get close enough to see the rise of her chest.

As he got to her side, Maka was up on her elbows, the spiderweb of black blood tangling in her hair. She looked up at him through her blood-splattered bangs. "I'm OK."

"Like hell," he hissed. "Stop this. Get out of here. I get it, you're strong, Maka, but-"

"I'm not going to run like some scared little girl!" Maka was up just in time to tear them both to the right, narrowly avoiding another icicle strike from Free.

"I'm not saying you _are_ ," Soul was almost pleading now. "But this isn't a fight we're going to win and I can't risk-"

She tossed him aside, out of the range of another orb that sailed between them. "You sound like a coward! And _of course,_ I'm not going to win if I'm fighting with a coward."

He was just about to spit another vitriolic sentence her way when Maka suddenly doubled over, her hand clutching at her stomach. "Oh, fuck, the _baby_ ," he tried to squash that to a whisper as he shot towards her. Free was coming to take advantage of the frozen horror on her face but Soul slipped between them, earning a gash across his shoulder as he drove her into the dirt. "Is it alright?" he pressed through clenched teeth. "The baby…"

But Maka grabbed his hand, squeezing it tightly as she finished his sentence, "Is telling us we _have_ to work together. That was… it was screaming at me," something close to a delirious laugh left her throat. "You and me, Soul, if we resonate, we can do this, but it has to be together. We have to stop fighting each other."

Taking her hand then was just like taking that little demon's, the black blood desperately running its course through his veins. The air charged again, but Maka could see that it was the bubbles of each of them converging, a beautiful tangle of their two souls that she imagined sewn together with an unbreakable thread. That hunger struck him again, the idea that swallowing her up was the only thing that would fill him and it became a fight to keep it at bay. Even with that dangerous urge, the connection was heavenly. It was like every motion of his was just an extension of hers. There was no more confusion about what would come next as a clear plan flowed through the two of them.

On their feet again, Soul was quick to charge, a hard slash coming down across Free's front, actually throwing him off balance. Maka took the opportunity, driving her uninjured shoulder into his center and letting the momentum push them both into the air as the stone lip of the bridge did nothing to hold either of them in place. Being airborne brought weightlessness that momentarily pleased Maka to no end and fed an exhilaration that she barely contained with just a short laugh. The horror finally hit her as she realized she was falling just as much as Free and even worse, his huge taloned paw was a second away from digging into her side.

It was two forces that tore her apart, Soul grabbing her by the ankle as he desperately tried to brace himself against the short wall and then the razor-sharp hooked fingers of Free ripping through her cloak and the bodice of her dress to the tender flesh around her ribs. She tried to scream for Soul but it came out as a wordless gasping shriek. The muscles in Soul's chest stretched to snapping, the weight of both of them threatening to wretch his shoulder out of the socket. "Maka," he urged uselessly, knowing that it was just baseless pleading to the universe at this point. _I'm not letting go. I'm never letting go. You're mine, damn it._ He gathered what he could from every corner of himself and started to tip the scale, every inch of his skin screaming as he tried to lift her leg.

"Come to hell with me, girly," Free hissed from just over the dark swell of the water below. "Let me pay your mother back for all the fun I've missed."

"Forget it, wolf-boy." Soul's head snapped away from Maka just in time to see Black Star standing on the side of the bridge, an arrow loosing immediately from his bow and striking perfectly in Free's wrist. With a growl, Free's grip was lost and he went tumbling into the brackish water. "And how the _fuck_ did you end up like that?" Black Star barked as he let the bow clatter to the floor and rushed to Soul's side, grabbing Maka's other leg. "You were being impossible again, weren't you?" he grumbled as the two of them pulled Maka back onto the bridge.

Maka rolled her eyes before starting, "I was-"

"Being _impossible_ ," Soul seethed before his hands rushed over the crown of her head, her shoulder, her side to trace each drop of the black blood. There were only small traces of the wounds at her head or her shoulder, but her side was still pumping blood under his fingers.

"Soul…" Maka was trying to stop his caresses so he snatched his hands away to instead move to cup her face, staring desperately into her eyes.

"We don't have time to have our lovers' quarrel, but this is it," Soul pressed between his teeth. "I love you, I'll fight next to you, but you're _pregnant_. The whole point of this was to keep you from harm but you throw yourself off a bridge?"

"I didn't mean to," Maka offered weakly.

Soul gaped before he pressed the wave of rage building in his chest out in the form of a rough breath squeezed between his teeth.

Black Star unwrapped the cloak from his shoulder before starting to push Soul aside. "You were right, there's no time for your first fight. Put this on, princess." He tossed the cloth at her and ripped Maka to her feet and out of Soul's reach. "Soldiers incoming, you need to hide-"

"Because as of right now, you're kidnapped," Soul finished.

"Exactly," Black Star flashed a grin at Soul before jogging back towards the horses.

Maka threw the cloak on and pressed the hood up. "Make sure you look for Eruka, but I'm going to take a guess she's long gone."

"I will." Soul tried not to make that an exhausted snap as his hand slipped into the cloak to grab her arm, turning her back to him. "We can argue as much as you'd like when we're together again, but for now, please, remember the baby."

The stubborn curl of her lip wouldn't quit but the sigh that she released was bordering on giving in. "I'll try, but I swear, Soul, the baby _wanted, told_ me to-"

"And when it's old enough I'll ground it for that," Soul growled as he pulled her close enough so he could whisper in her ear as Black Star got close enough. "What did it sound like?"

Maka blinked at him, confused until she saw the way his eyes softened and the tremble that he was trying to freeze at his lip. "Sweet," she murmured softly as she touched a hand to his chest. "A sweet little symphony of a voice, Soul."

Soul let a breath quiver over his lips before he pressed them gently to hers. "Go. Be safe."

Her fingers momentarily curled into his shirt, that fist knocking at his sternum. "You too." She turned in time for Black Star to offer his knee as a step up on the horse. When she was on, he slapped the horse's flank, sending it rocketing off.

"You want me to yell at her later?" Black Star offered with a smile before he launched into his own saddle.

"The whole time you're away," Soul answered wryly. "Keep her from getting herself killed, please."

He raised his eyebrows with a laugh, "You warned her to do the same for me, right?"

"Damn it, of course, I send the two most reckless idiots out together," he hissed as he ran a hand through his hair.

Black Star used his hand to follow Soul's, ruffling his hair back out of place. "Love you, too. Promise at least _I_ won't kill her." He offered a cackle as he urged his horse forward, galloping in the direction Maka went.

"Very comforting," Soul shouted after him as his heart fell into his boots. "Neither of you can die," he added uselessly before turning to the approaching troops. All he could do was shoot off an emotionless description of Free and Eruka, sending groups in all directions with the order to retrieve and detain, kill if necessary. He wasn't going to hold his breath, sure that both of them were no better than dust in the wind. The desperate momentum brought him back to the hall, the blood drying on his shoulder, his clothes streaked in dirt, and his wife gone.

He waded through the crowd of people, seeing the wide eyes, hearing the murmurs. His mother was practically on top of him, her hands grasping fiercely to his arm, but Soul refused to let his voice sound yet. First, his eyes had to search the room, had to flick from face to face in order to see the one that was missing. Medusa was gone. As a sigh broke his lips, the words barked sharply after, "Witches have kidnapped the princess."


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I always feel like I write Black Star a little too mature, but I excuse it with the idea that the Black Star we know in the manga is a teenager and this one is closer to grown, so you would hope he'd outgrow at least a little of his bravado. Please live with it and accept it because it helps me add to the fluff.

Eruka had disappeared into the night along with Medusa, and while both of those had been expected, an unwelcome secondary knot of concern, not to be confused with the one for Maka and Black Star that would permanently be tying his guts together, had developed as he realized Kim was nowhere to be found. _We sacrificed her. A strong, smart girl died because she chose us over herself._ But with no body to justify that claim, Soul tried to let it rest, hoping that Kim was on some conniving mission of her own.

In the midst of all this, Soul had to allow that they had received one small blessing in the form of Free. He had been trapped in what Soul guessed was a last-ditch effort of self-preservation by encasing himself in a giant hunk of ice. The men had hauled him from the shore and with no hopes for combatting that kind of skill, Soul had taken him, still encased, to Mira, thinking only of what Maka had told him of the temple and its inhabitants.

Mira had taken one look, frowned, and let him in, but only him and the giant ice cube of a man. It was strange to walk the halls of a place that men were not supposed to roam. He'd only heard of a few gaining entry, and the fact that she was taking him deeper towards the inner circles made the direness settle into his stomach. Pushing the cart full of Free seemed to at least be no problem with the work split between him and Mira and before he knew it she was placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Wait here a moment."

Soul nodded, knowing better than to look a gift-horse in the mouth, and waited patiently outside the door that Mira disappeared into with their quarry. He took the time to rehearse the script in his head, ready to lay down the kingly volume so that orders sounded as such. In a few minutes he scrapped it, sure that commands were not what would motivate help, and instead, he settled somewhere just above pleading. When Mira returned he was guided in silence back to one of the outer rooms, the steam hitting his face as she waved him in. "Your wife's been here many times," Mira offered as simple conversation.

Soul stopped only a few steps into the room, turning and crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm about to ask for more answers than you gave her."

Mira almost seemed amused by this, her eyebrow raising. "As my King?"

"As a man who wants his wife and best friend to survive," he snapped back quickly. "And as a friend of Stein. I believe you two know each other pretty well."

A smile followed the eyebrow. "And who told you that?"

"I know he visited your house while he was here," Soul answered coolly. "He's not really one to visit _anybody_."

"You had him followed?" Mira nodded her head slowly as if to answer herself. "Is it that you don't trust him?"

Soul shook his firmly before replying, "I trust him more than most but I had Black Star, the captain of my guard, follow him. Sometimes Stein's just not so into telling us the bigger picture details and I wanted to be able to get a handle on those if I needed to. Like now. I know Stein's on his way back but I'm not going to wait. You know more than I do, so I need you to fill me in."

Mira pulled in a deep breath through her nose before her smile shrunk down to almost nothing on her lips. "I am going to make some tea. Please have a seat."

Soul gritted his teeth for only a moment before throwing himself in the chair, his hands coming hard to his knees to clutch there. Mira was busy grinding herbs, the sound setting his teeth on edge while the usual minute's wait for tea seemed to tick on for an eternity. By the time she settled the cups on the table Soul was sure he was about to burst. "Should I assume this is poison-free?"

Mira chuckled, "If I wanted to hurt you, don't you think I would have by now?"

"I feel like everyone is biding their time," Soul huffed. "But I guess I shouldn't complain - it's been worse for Maka."

Mira's sigh spoke of agreement as she used it to cool the steam off her tea. "I heard of the kidnapping."

"It was almost real," he admitted. "Free, the man you're now in charge of keeping, was on the bridge waiting to make that happen. Eruka, a servant from the castle, and Medusa, the physician, have disappeared as well."

"Then your assumptions were correct."

Soul shrugged weakly. "I'm worried that they want both of us and that this separation is about to do exactly what they want. Maybe Medusa is gone, maybe she's waiting. Maybe…" he tightened his jaw momentarily to stop his lip from trembling. "Maybe I sent the only woman I've ever loved, will ever love to her death."

"Have a little more faith in her." Mira paused to take a sip from her tea, eyeing the way he pushed the cup a few inches each way instead of doing the same.

The breath fluttered weakly over his lips, "She was really pregnant, Mira." Even through his sorrow he read the momentary registry of regret on her face and latched to it mercilessly. "You knew that," he spat quickly.

Mira sighed before running a hand down her cheek to cover her mouth, her mind running about what she had the strength to hold. "There are those who have the talent to see souls…"

"Stein does and he didn't see it," Soul instantly shot back. "And Maka's the same. The only other person I've heard could do it, was maybe stronger than either of them was her mother and she's supposed to be _dead_."

Mira sighed to cool her tea again.

Soul let a bitter laugh tumble off his lips, "She's alive, isn't she? That _bitch_."

"Soul-"

"No, her daughter is in danger, risking herself and she could be helping but where the hell is she?" Soul couldn't stop the heaving rise in his voice. "Where is she, Mira?"

She sat back in the seat, opening and closing her eyes as if that would change the picture before her. "Yaara was here."

Soul clutched the cup between his fingers, his mind threatening to throw it and shatter everything into a million pieces. "When?" squeezed through his teeth.

"To determine that Maka was with child," Mira let the honesty finally soothe her. "And after Maka's first visit here before the wedding as well."

His head shook slowly back and forth in wonder. "Did she come to the wedding? Was she in the crowd at least?"

Mira replied with a curt shake of her head.

The wave of new anger surprised even him, especially the way it gripped onto the guilt of leaving her alone, the idea that she could be just as lonely as she used to be drilling holes into his heart. "Maka has cried over her," came out as a moan before the rest of the rage hit him. "And that bastard in there said Yaara was the one who locked her up meaning he was out for blood because of something that bitch did, not Maka."

She dropped a hand to the table as if she were going to put it over his but stopped just short of touching him. "That animal in there would have hurt Maka no matter what. It seems like currently, Maka is to be disposed of at any cost. Though… if they find out she is actually pregnant, what she's pregnant with-"

" _What_?" Soul was halfway out of his chair, his hands slamming into the table and making his cup totter back and forth. "What the hell do you mean _what_ she's pregnant with?"

Mira pressed her lips together, worrying at the bottom one as she patched together the words. "Yaara was concerned that something wasn't right about the soul."

"I knew it," Soul practically brayed in pain. "I knew it." _She's carrying something that's going to kill her and it's my fault._

Mira slid in quickly at the end of his words, "Calm down. Yaara doesn't know what the black blood looks like on a soul. Maka knows what yours looks like, she knows what to expect, so when she sees the baby, we have to believe she'll try to prepare us."

Soul dug his nails into the wood, a warbling groan eking from his throat before he forced himself back into the seat.

"They're interested in you because of the blood, because there's some kind of potential there," Mira reminded him as softly as she could without losing the seriousness. "If they find out the child is the same, they may want it for the same reason. When Maka starts showing, it may keep her safer than we expected."

"They might actually kidnap her," Soul muttered. _Black Star, don't let that happen._

Mira sighed, "I will try to contact Yaara again." She allowed the interruption of the derisive grunt from his mouth. "Perhaps she will be able to work with Stein-"

"So they know each other, too," Soul growled.

"They are _not_ friends," Mira finished that with a quick laugh. "I wouldn't be surprised if Stein hasn't seen her in just as much time as Maka. And with Stein's connection to Spirit, I doubt Yaara is very likely to be planning _with_ Stein on anything."

Soul shook his head slowly, his mind sketching vague lines from person to person, creating a web that he could only hope to remember enough tonight to add to his journal. "I used to think Maka and I were just fated to be together but…"

Mira broke the last inch, letting her hand come over his. "What has happened between the two of you was no one's doing but your own. You love her, that much is obvious, and no one created that but you. Her love for you is the same."

* * *

Two weeks passed in sour silence no matter what Black Star attempted. First, it was egging her on, trying endlessly to get a rise out of her but finding that while most of his usual prattle set her on edge she was suddenly immune. He received only glum smiles or helpless sounding sighs. Second, he tried silence, hoping that somehow that would encourage her to fill the gap. Instead, there was nothing but her breathing and the sound of hoofbeats to ring in his ears. This should have been a blessing, but it was somehow infuriating to Black Star, who was now trying to fill their last night in front of a campfire before finally running into Stein with endless tales of heroic actions that Soul was rarely the star of but at least always a bystander.

He was bringing up a story that he hoped she'd latched on to, a fond memory of Stein punishing Soul for some stupid insurrection when he watched her face grow paler regardless of the orange glow of the fire. Maka's hand was instantly shuffling under her cloak to cradle her stomach while the other one pressed to her mouth.

"Hey, princess," Black Star eased closer to her. "The baby OK?"

Maka's wide eyes turned to him as the tears started to puddle at the rims. She whispered something faint, unintelligible that was mostly blocked by her fingers.

His hand was gripping her shoulder now, giving a light shake for good measure. "Come on, what is it? Are you OK?"

She shook her head slowly, letting the hand fall to cup her chin. "During the fight, I heard it. I told Soul that it had a sweet voice and I didn't _lie_ , but it was _strange_ , too." Maka blinked at Black Star as if her next words were written on his face but she needed to translate them first. "Since then I've been putting all my energy into listening and trying to see it because I know it's there. It _has_ to have a soul and…"

 _Well, at least she's been ignoring me for a good reason._ The terror was the only thing that kept Black Star from snorting. He'd been privy to a few quiet breakdowns from Soul, ones were the idea that this could be a monster instead of a blessing bringing his best friend to tears even without wine. "Does it?"

"It…" Maka choked on a sob, throwing her face into her hands.

"Maka, whatever it is…" Black Star was floundering, wishing that he could transport Soul, Marie, _anyone_ to trade places with him. He patted her back awkwardly as she let out a few more grief-stricken heaves, waiting until there wasn't another clamorous sound from her mouth to repeat, "Does it?"

"It's not an _it_ ," Maka let her hands drop, the fire making the lines of tears twinkle on her cheeks. "It's a _them_."

"A _what_?" Black Star gaped.

"Them," she urged. "Two souls. Two perfect little souls and I can't tell him. I can't _show_ him. He won't _know_." Each word seemed embedded in a mournful groan.

Most of the sentence was too much to process, Black Star momentarily overcome by that new father terror at the idea of twins even without them being his. Instead, he clutched to what seemed the most important even if it was just an afterthought to her. "But _perfect_? They're… just _babies_?"

Her eyes fell back to her stomach, her hand moving there slowly. "They're… different, definitely bigger souls than I would think but… as far as I know, as I can see." She offered a weak shrug along with a sniffle. "I'm sure Stein will know more when we see him but…" Her lip trembled, threatening another break into tears.

 _Fuck, did she even cry this much when we were kids? I knew women could get emotional like this but-_ He tried to sideline the thought with another pat to her shoulder. "Stein'll just tell him when he gets back to the castle. No big deal. Soul will just know a little later than you, that's all."

"No," Maka moaned as she threw her head in her hands again. "No, no, no, I want, I want-" She cut herself off with a frustrated yelp before batting his hand away. After forcing a few deep breaths she shot her head up again, shrieking at him, "I want to kill this stupid bitch so that I can go home and be with Soul. I wish we'd never left and you and I just murdered her when we had the chance."

Black Star snorted out a laugh, "You and me both."

"I hate playing it safe," she spat. "I hate being stuck with you on this _stupid_ trip."

"Keep going," Black Star waved his hand in encouragement.

"I don't want to see Papa," she paused there to add another discontented yell. "I definitely don't want to see him and if he says _one word_ about this pregnancy I will _murder_ him."

"Oh, that's going to be fun," Black Star muttered under his breath.

"And Stein should be with Marie while she's having her damn baby not being in charge of telling my husband about his children that he might not even get to see," passed from her lips in one swift breath ending with her chin knocking to her knees as she pulled them to her chest.

Black Star let the silence drift for a moment before murmuring, "Done?"

She let out a huff of air in reply.

"Feel better?"

Another heaving breath before she brought her eyes to him instead of the fire. "Do you ever want a normal life?"

"Hell no," Black Star spat back immediately as he grinned. He saw the disaster starting on her face so he added quickly, "But maybe that's because I'm not in love and totally not pregnant. That kind of stuff, well, you want that to be normal, want all the stuff that goes along with it to be normal."

Maka narrowed her eyes at him and Black Star was preparing for his portion of the tirade when her voice came soft and inquisitive. "You've never been in love?"

"Are we having girl talk right now?" Black Star balked incredulously.

"I was just asking," Maka answered innocently.

"Uh, _why_?" Unconsciously, Black Star shuffled back from her, creating distance as if the words could get him.

"You've _slept_ with plenty of girls," Maka offered dryly, "but you've never loved them?"

Black Star chuckled weakly, "I'm glad I've got a reputation."

He didn't know how but her forehead wrinkled more. "Am I wrong?"

A tight laugh coughed from his throat, "It's just easier that way."

"What is?" Now Maka was leaning closer, refusing his space since, for the first time in their entire lives, Black Star seemed to be sweating about something.

"Sleeping with girls," he offered before grinding his jaw into a grimace.

"Because loving them…?"

"Leads to this," Black Star swept a hand at her. "Crying and going on and-"

"Idiot," Maka spat as she turned her head the other direction.

Black Star let out a withering sigh and started to resign himself again to the silence. That worked for about a minute before his skin had started to crawl. "I mean that love isn't just one simple thing. It doesn't just happen and you get just that, only that. It comes with a million other things that make it so complicated that it's impossible to _win_."

"Love isn't about winning," Maka talked to the other side into the darkness but definitely loud enough for him to hear.

He grumbled, "Fine. I'm just not good at being not good at something."

There was another gap and Black Star was almost thankful for it when she turned her head back to him. "That's not true."

"What?" he recoiled as his eyebrows shot up his forehead.

"You love Soul, and you're good at it," Maka left that succinctly in his lap.

"Sure, like a brother," Black Star spat. "Not like I'm going to bed with him. _Yuck_."

Maka managed a muted laugh, "I'm sure he feels the same way. Love is love, though. You deal with Soul crying, angry, and the million other ways he can be."

"I liked it better when you were yelling at me," Black Star sighed.

Maka rolled her eyes but let a giggle follow it. "It'd be nice for you to have someone."

"So I stop stealing your husband away to drink," Black Star finished for her with a smirk.

"So you stop being so insufferable," Maka shot back with a laugh. "Maybe there's a woman out there who could tame you."

"Absolutely _not_ ," Black Star pretended to balk at the suggestion. "I prefer when they-"

"Alright, alright," Maka huffed as she leaned back into her saddlebag. It was hard to do so without letting tears come back to her eyes but she settled her hands on her stomach again anyway. It was somehow so simple to look now and see the two glowing little orbs sitting in her hands when just yesterday there had been just a hazy mist, a hint that something was there but no real outline. She couldn't be more sure there were two, a fact that perfectly explained the way the voice had seemed like a collection of voices. _I wonder if you'll talk to me again or was that just for the important stuff? Some last-ditch effort to keep both me and Soul safe?_

Black Star had been chuckling to himself but slowly reined it in, watching Maka once again lost in her own mind as she caressed a swell that wasn't quite there. "You need to complain again?" he murmured.

Maka shook her head as she let out a long sigh. "No, I think that's passed. I do wish I could see his face when he finds out, though."

"Yeah," Black Star laughed sharply. "Bet he'll get that totally lost look."

"His eyes will probably pop out of his head." Her weak laugh followed that but she tried to offer Black Star a smile.

"Yeah," Black Star nodded slowly before turning his eyes to the fire. "I'm really gonna try to get you back to him before all of it happens." He still couldn't look at her since he didn't actually want to know what his promise was doing to her face or if it was adding to those tears she already cried. "Because seeing his kids for the first time? I think that's the face you don't want to miss."


	28. Chapter 28

It was a sauna, literally, and Soul sat with his pants rolled up and his feet soaking in the warmth. This would almost be enjoyable if it weren't for the wolfish glare that was making Soul's hackles stand up. Mira had ensured him that the collar she'd fitted to Free was blessed and would keep him weakened and drained to the point he was no more vicious than a child. It should comfort him, but Soul couldn't keep the idea from resounding in his head: _Just what will it take to get that collar off him, and how long until Medusa figures it out?_

Except the blond hadn't shown her face for the past week, nor had there been any wisps of Eruka. In fact, it had been eerily quiet and with each relaxing day, another inch of terror was gripping him as he created violent scenarios after bloody scenes of Black Star and Maka in various stages of death. Not to mention a hint of the dreams had come back, even with Stein's potions to tide him and each day assured him how much Maka was a part of keeping him tethered together.

As the ice melted, Free had slowly begun to transform back to a man, his face contorted in a sickly grin. "How long do you think it'll take before I'm out?"

"Long enough for us to talk," Soul tried on a shrug and found he could produce at least a modicum of that usual apathy.

Free cracked his neck, testing the cling of the collar. "So you think I'm a dog or something?"

"I think you're dangerous," Soul offered truthfully before closing it with a sigh. "But I wanted to ask you about a couple of things you said."

He sucked his teeth as he rolled his eyes, "And why would I be talking to you?"

"Technically," Soul let a small smirk pull at the corner of his mouth, "I saved you." It was a gamble, one he'd rehearsed carefully in the dark. _Medusa must have freed him and that's hopefully where his loyalty lies, not in the person but the act._ "The summer doesn't even get that river bed warm enough to melt a thing so you would have forever remained an ice cube without my help."

An amused snort aided the grin that broke across his cheeks. "You know, I was told you were kind of a sullen guy, not all that funny."

Soul raised his eyebrows while his smirk held strong. "Medusa tell you that? Kind of hard for a guy to be entertaining when he's being poisoned by a witch."

Another laugh and the corners of his eyes were wrinkling under the pressure of his smile. "You are funny. So _maybe_ , just maybe you get an answer. _One_."

As he kicked his legs, he swirled the options in his brain like the water around his feet. One toss of the dice had won him a question, so Soul settled on chance again. "What'll it take for you to side with me instead of Medusa?"

"Side? We have teams?" he chuckled back.

"You said you don't serve," Soul shook his head solemnly. "So I don't expect you to, but killing my wife, my child, isn't an option I can leave on the table."

The amusement faded away as Free's eyebrows furrowed. "A kid?"

Soul couldn't stop some of the rage seething from between his teeth, "That girl you tossed like a ragdoll is pregnant."

A low, long whistle broke his lips before he clucked his tongue a few times. "That's not my style."

"But it was," Soul pressed back. "You hurt her and part of me isn't going to forget that, but I'm willing to work with you as long as you tell me the truth."

Free tested that thought as he worked his lower lip. "About?"

"You mean I get more than one question?" Soul let that signature smirk come back.

A sharp laugh left his throat, "Sure. A few more. Consider it payback for the girl."

"Maka," Soul corrected. "And you said you know her mother."

"A cold-hearted bitch," Free muttered.

"Agreed," Soul shot quickly before sighing.

Free was chuckling freely now as the ice was starting to flake from his shoulders. "You've met her?"

"Don't have to," Soul shook his head. "Guess I should have said I don't forget about anyone hurting Maka. Family included. But she loves her mother, no matter how absent she's been." He paused from the diatribe he was about to start in terms of his mother-in-law's other flaws to tilt his head and raise an eyebrow. "You want to speed this up?"

"Speed what up?"

Soul motioned towards the lower half that was still fairly tightly encased in ice. "The thaw."

That wolfish grin was back but Soul didn't exactly feel the same malice in it. "You'd risk it?"

"That collar is supposed to keep you on the gentle side," Soul paused before he sucked at his teeth. "But I'd be a fool if I thought it would last forever. You're going to do what you want either way, Free. Might as well just get it over with." He eased his legs out of the water and walked behind the column of ice. "Get ready for a swim." It was easy since they hadn't removed him from the wheeled platform and as soon as the first wheel hit the lip of the pool the rest of Free tipped in.

It wasn't instantaneous by any means but the solidity of the ice started to waver in the warmer water. "So what'll I have to do to get the collar off?" Free was starting to wiggle his shoulders as the warm water leaked between his arms and the ice.

"Still don't know if I can trust you at your word." Soul let a little of that sullenness warble at the edge of his words. "But I'd love to say just promise me you won't side with Medusa ever again."

With his hands now unrestrained, Free offered his open palms innocently at Soul. "Look, if I knew she was pregnant-"

"So you'll just murder my wife once she _has_ her baby?" Soul offered without patience.

Free frowned, "I see your point."

"Exactly," Soul sighed. "What is it to you, anyway? Her mother has done _shit_ for her for over ten years. You want to get back at her, you're not doing any good going after Maka. It's obvious she doesn't give a damn."

"Huh," Free started fiddling with his lip again in thought as he stretched out his arms. "Either you're lying to me or you don't know."

Now it was Soul's turn to be frozen, the ice gripping at his heart. "What don't I know?"

"Yaara was, maybe _is_ here," Free raised an eyebrow playfully. "And don't think that's something that Medusa told me. I can smell that bitch all over this place. Here, the town, around the castle yards."

His head shook slowly in disbelief, "That _bitch_." Soul's hands clenched into fists as he dug his knuckles into the tops of his thighs. "Even if she was here, it doesn't mean she's doing it for her daughter. If she really loved her, she wouldn't be hiding in the fucking shadows."

"You sure that wife of yours hasn't been meeting with her?" Free waited to see Soul blanch, to see some kind of horror come to his face as he realized his wife had betrayed him in some way. That was the normal reaction, what he had expected, but instead, he only saw more fire.

"Maka would tell me," Soul said without an ounce of doubt.

Free let out a swift snort. At this point he could move his legs, thick ice cubes sitting at his ankles but still allowing him to inch forward. As he got within range to grasp the prince he watched the younger man's face again, waiting for a hint of fear or distrust. All he could do was let out another sharp laugh. "So what's the plan, prince?"

"You have a choice," Soul offered calmly. "You can go to the dungeon or… if you promise to be cool, maybe we can test run you walking around the palace. Supervised and collared, of course."

An amused smirk broke across his lips. "I can definitely be cool."

* * *

Even with everything weighing on her, Maka momentarily felt it lift as she saw Stein standing in the roadway, an unperturbed smile on his face. "You made it."

"A little bumpy, but…" Black Star gave an amiable shrug as he watched Maka quickly dismount and rush for Stein's arms. The conversation over the campfire came back to him quickly, that idea of love and the navigation of it as he watched Stein, a man who most would see as insanely cruel, cradle Maka like a doting father.

To make it worse he heard Stein whisper softly, "Are you alright?" before smoothing the blond hair on Maka's head.

Maka shook off the question as she pulled back from him. "Did Liz pass you?"

Stein nodded carefully in reply. "No problems there."

"Good." Maka hesitated, her teeth working into her lip before she locked eyes with him. "Do you see them?"

"Just fine," Stein answered back quickly. "You can make both of them out?"

"Mostly," Maka smiled as she touched a hand to her stomach. "I… can't tell if they're boys or girls or… if there's anything _wrong_."

"There's not," Stein delivered back firmly. "They'll be two, fine, healthy babies."

Maka risked a glance at Black Star who was still in the saddle. His smile was somehow telling her _I told you so_ even if he hadn't.

"I have a few things for you." Stein broke her attention as he turned to his horse that he'd tied to a nearby tree. He was shuffling through his saddlebag as Maka came to his side, her hands open and waiting. "A _long_ letter from Marie, as well as a few gifts from her-"

"She didn't have to," Maka said with a sweet sigh.

Stein's only reply to that was a roll of his eyes as he deposited the goods in Maka's hands. "There are extra supplies that should get you to Spirit's without issue. I'll ask that you to give him this letter from me, as well." He'd commented on Marie's being large but this was less a letter and more a manifesto, many pages sealed together.

"You think he can read this much?" Maka laughed with a mocking raise of her eyebrows.

After he deposited the letter on top of the stack he let his hand fall on her head. "I know it will be hard but perhaps-"

"No," Maka cut him off. "I will be _nice, civil_ -"

"I'll keep her from killing him," Black Star cut in flatly.

"My thanks," Stein chuckled.

With a huff, Maka turned away from Stein, slipping from his grasp to deposit all the goods at her own horse. "Ten weeks with him," she grumbled.

"You better be talking about your father," Black Star grinned.

Maka shot him a glare before turning back to Stein. "Are you sure _you_ can't come with me and we'll let Black Star go back to his _beloved_?"

Stein only gave a commiserative smile before he looked up at Black Star. "Don't ride too hard, but for Soul's sake keep the pace."

Black Star rolled his eyes, the push already old and stale in his head. "That's the plan."

"Stein…" Maka was back at his side, worrying a piece of paper between her fingers. "I know you're going to tell me you can't, but can you give this to him? I…" she lowered her voice almost to nothing, "... I just want to be the one to tell him about the babies. I didn't even sign it, I swear, I just…" Those green eyes pleaded up at him as the words trailed off weakly from her lips.

It hit Black Star again with such force as he watched Stein lean closer with a sad smile, one hand tapping under her chin while the other took the letter. "If it's safe, I will. If not… perhaps that's another surprise that'll await our prince." In the strangest motion yet, he watched as Stein engulfed her in his arms again, a hug that was much more desperate than before. And while watching Stein be human was definitely intriguing and maybe a little heartwarming, Black Star's attention was immediately pulled away.

The order from Black Star's lips came next, not any of the amusement from the teasing before even tainting the edges. "Maka, get on your horse." The tone thankfully had both on the move, Stein hoisting Maka up in the saddle.

"Someone's coming." Maka urged her horse next to Black Star's.

"And we're going," Black Star shot right back. "You got this, Stein?"

"Absolutely." Stein grinned as he pulled his sword from its sheath.

Maka's heart was already clattering in her chest as she looked down at him. "Someone once told me that you should protect only one thing: your own life." She tried to offer it as firmly as possible but still felt the trembling disturb the last few words. All she got in reply was Stein's amused smile as Black Star grabbed her reins and urged her horse along with his.

Stein was tempted to watch them go but his eyes were hard-pressed towards the edge of the forest, watching as the lithe blond slowly materialized through the trees. "Ah, physician. Nice to see you."

"If you don't mind, I don't exactly have time for you," Medusa kept a bemused grin even with cold words.

"Oh, no," Stein answered with a chuckle, "I'm your opponent now."

Medusa gave a disappointed sigh as the dark lines slithered off her arms, breaking into the air like arrows in Stein's direction. He instantly pushed forward, watching the trajectory and pressing just between the deadly black spikes to arrive in front of her. Stein was close enough now for his fist to meet flesh, the hard strike of his palm slapping against her sternum and forcing her a few steps back. "Foolish to not use your sword," Medusa chuckled as her feet planted firmly on the ground.

Stein's grin was reaching manic proportions. "Foolish of you to think that's the most powerful weapon I have."

Medusa tried to take a step but her legs refused to move. In a swift moment, she dropped her eyes to see the gossamer threads that looped into her skin from the ground.

"I haven't gotten good enough where I can do it without touching someone, but…" Stein paused for a joyful laugh. "Once we've made contact, my soul sewing can easily take hold." He barely waited for the end of the sentence before he was throwing another strike, sending her flying back into the trees, tiny threads grasping and holding her up. Stein was ready to inflict the third when his feet moved without him, propelling him back and away from her. The earth was scorched black in the shape of an arrow and it wasn't until he was thrown that Medusa could laugh again.

"You think your measly little threads can hold me?" Another vector appeared underneath her and the strings ripped out of her skin, her body quickly propelled forward and then around him, catching Stein by surprise. Her kick connected with his back, knocking him forward and off-balance just in time for the second wave of thin, black arrows to swarm in the air and come down to focus on his back. The blood shot from Stein's mouth as he tumbled into the road, barely able to right himself on his knees. "I don't want to kill you."

Stein lifted his head and mirrored the wicked grin she had on her face. "You seemed pretty intent on it just now. And what about the children?"

"You take a lot of interest in them for not being your own." Medusa eased back on her heels with a whistle. "I thought I heard you were a mad man."

"Mad, but still a man." Stein launched forward but only to find Medusa gone, sent sideways with a vector that brought her to his side, her nails like daggers stabbing into his side and provoking another splatter of blood. He was quick to turn and send a fist connecting to her stomach, his fingers grasping in tightly to the material to keep her to him rather than send her flying.

It was then that the sickly arrows started to appear over her head and dive for his. With every last ounce of his strength, Stein did what he did best, stitched. It was every last bit of her, all that his mind could imagine tied up tightly. Her lungs squeezed, her eyes remained motionless on him, even those tiny arrows which he realized were some strange amplifications of her soul stayed in place, just hovering maliciously at his neck, ready to slice as soon as his strength waned.

"How long can you hold this?" Medusa gritted through her trapped teeth.

Stein let a sick smile grace his lips. "Long enough."

"For what?" As much amusement as she could manage leaked through her unmoving lips. "To give that girl a little more time? Your precious _pretend_ daughter?"

"No," Stein murmured. "Just long enough for the Madness to hit." With all of him weakened there was no keeping it at bay, the insane surge overwhelming him as the maniacal laugh started to burst from his lips. His blood was splattering with each tremble of his chest but it didn't matter, none of it did, because now there was nothing to stop him. The stitches held tight as his sword arm finally had the power to move. It was a swift, easy glide just under her ribcage, that beautiful symphony of loosened guts hitting his ears as her body slid in two.

The vectors, the arrows, all of it fizzled away as Stein fell to his knees, the sick laughter surrounding him. He could swear he heard Medusa join in as well though it might have just been the chorus in his head, those echoing voices that Soul knew well. While the Madness was certainly not done, Stein's body had no way of giving in to it, the pooling blood proving to be overwhelming. Stein plopped onto his side in the dust, a few more chuckles exited his lips before he managed to get to his back. "I did it," he crowed joyously but it was no more than a whisper.

It was just as his eyes started to lose focus and his mind was barely able to resurface from the Madness when the blond hair cascaded around him. Sure he was dead, that his mind was producing one last vision that was supposed to ease him to the beyond, Stein whispered, "Ah, Marie. I'm glad… just don't name our son after me, alright? Promise me that."


	29. Chapter 29

It wasn't blond hair when Stein awoke but pink, his eyes focusing with that strict concern. "Who are you?"

"Lord Stein, oh, I'm so glad," Kim gushed.

He let his eyes linger down to his middle, watching Kim's hands hovering over the side wound with an eerie glow. "Huh." He let out an amused chuckle, ignoring the pain that spiked in his gut for a moment. "A witch… that can heal. Interesting."

Kim was leaning closer to him, her eyes wide, "Look, I'm Kim, Maka's girl that was supposed to be watching Medusa. I'm trying my best to heal you but I need your help-"

"He's awake?" Came a sharp voice from outside of the campfire light and Stein watched it tighten every last one of Kim's muscles.

It took him a moment, but as Stein pushed achingly onto his elbows he knew before he even laid eyes on her. "Yaara, always a disappointment to run into you."

"Shouldn't you be thanking me for saving you from a pathetic death in the middle of the road?" Yaara offered calmly as she stepped into the light and sat across the fire from him. Stein wondered if she had even aged a day, the same girlish face and wavy blond hair he remembered from Spirit's wedding.

"I think I should be thanking Kim," Stein let fall flatly. "And she doesn't seem fond of you. Can't say I blame her."

Yaara's lips curled into a sneer. "She's a witch, most witches are not fond of witch hunters."

"A witch who has been actively serving your daughter and just saved my life." Stein let his eyes flick to Kim, watching at least a modicum of relief come over her.

Yaara was unphased by this and simply eased forward, letting the light play brightly against her cheeks. "Or poisoning my daughter. She was working with Medusa."

"As your daughter instructed her to do." Stein tried to sit up, happy for Kim's instant grasp on him to keep him steady. As he crouched forward slightly he realized the only dull sting to his stomach now and felt a renewed pleasant warmth as Kim's hands went to the wounds on his back. "Which her very smart, calculating husband did so that we could know what Medusa was making before it even made it to their plates."

"I see you're informed of all the clever little plans," Yaara replied sourly.

He tried to fend off the anger but the exhaustion left him without much of his sense to remain calm. "Well, it helps to spend time with Maka to know what's going on with her."

Yaara rolled her eyes with a bitter laugh, "Oh, and what a loving replacement for a father _you_ are."

Stein shook his head slowly and mirrored her laugh before he pulled his legs to his chest in order to keep himself up. "I have been what I can be for Maka. You, on the other hand, only show up when it suits you, hiding in the shadows for your own purposes the rest of the time."

Her eyes burned brighter than the fire as her fists tightened at her side. "I did not save you just to have you call into question-"

"I wonder why you saved me at all," Stein gritted back through his teeth, "because we both know the only feeling I've ever had for you is a healthy amount of spite."

"Spite!" Yaara laughed heartily. "The feeling is mutual, Stein. Just tell me where you sent my daughter. Make my life a little easier and I'll get out of your hair."

Stein sucked his teeth before letting out a harsh sigh, "You'll leave Kim with me."

"I'd rather kill the girl." The flatness of it sent a chill up Kim's spine but Stein was quick to put a hand on her shoulder and surprisingly quell it.

"You want to know where Maka is going, I require Kim to accompany me so I can actually make it back to Soul in one piece," Stein offered succinctly. "That's the deal. Take it or leave it."

"Or you'll do what?" Yaara shot back with sick amusement.

He rested his cheek against his knees in exhaustion before he sighed. "Do or don't, Yaara."

"Fine," she huffed quickly and Stein was convinced there wasn't a chance of a struggle in the first place.

This brought at least a spark of joy to him, a smile easing over his features even as he still tucked his face close to his knees. "She's going to Spirit's. It's where she'll be safe."

"And where is that?" Yaara shot back instantly.

"Oh, you don't know?" He reveled in the coy lilt to his voice.

"Of course I don't know," she spat venomously.

"Technically, I don't either." Stein had to focus on the pain that was slowly dissipating from his back to check the playfulness in that reply. "He's gone into hiding and only Maka knows his exact location."

Yaara huffed, "Then you were useless and I should kill both of you anyway."

"It'll be due north on the high road," Stein slipped in glumly. "I know on the outskirts of Marie's is a westward turn. You'll have to track her from there."

"Barely helpful," she muttered.

"Just as you are," he chimed back. "Is it too much to hope that you're after her to give her some comfort as she becomes a mother herself?"

This fell between the three of them and amplified a tight silence, Yaara staring at the flames instead of him. Kim's hands were still moving slowly but Stein was catching her worried glances out of the corner of his eyes. "You saw the soul."

"Souls," Stein corrected.

A harsh sigh followed from Yaara as she put her head in her hands, "There something wrong with it, _them_."

"Maybe it looks that way," Stein murmured. "It's something the witch created, a curse of sorts that their father carries. It looks the same on him as it does on them."

"Then why would you let her carry them?" Yaara shot the hard accusation at him as she stood. "All of that paternal love becomes a falsehood as you let her carry _monsters_."

Stein stared, unphased. "Soul is no monster, so his children will not be either. And don't tell me that this stupidity is your motivation for going after her now."

"My daughter needs me," Yaara professed.

"And has for years," Stein added quickly, "but you haven't shown your face until _this._ You stay away from those babies, Yaara, or I promise now that I _will_ kill you."

She sucked her teeth in reply. "I'd like to see you try."

He let the calm, coolness settle into his voice, "It wouldn't be trying."

There was silence and glaring enough to fill a lifetime before Yaara turned from him. "You'll never see my daughter again if I can help it."

Stein refused to give an answer, letting the temper wave off of Yaara's shoulders until she stomped away into the darkness. When the woods were quiet again, Kim suddenly threw her arms around him. "I'm sorry, Lord Stein, I'm so sorry but, please…"

"It's alright, Kim," he patted her gently. "Did she hurt you?"

"I swore she would," Kim whispered. "I… I know I wasn't told to but when Medusa started to move I pledged myself as well. I was supposed to be watching the carriage after Eruka got underneath and was supposed to be on call if Free needed medical attention but as soon as Maka left to go after Soul, that woman grabbed me and took me with her. She's been following Maka until we found you."

"Heaven forbid she helped with Medusa," Stein laughed sourly. He allowed for a few more moments of Kim's embrace, smoothing her hair as he would Maka's before pulling the smaller girl away. "You've been very smart, Kim, and done very well. When we get to Soul's, let's make sure you get the rest you deserve."

* * *

Kilik and Ox had been assigned as rotating detail for Free and while no particularly troubling happens had occurred, it was obvious that the collar was more to damper magic, leaving Free mostly still overly physically capable. Soul wasn't entirely sure how he felt about this, but he couldn't deny the amusement of watching Free lift the six men as they sat on a bench with ease in the fighting ring. Free was posing and laughing happily as the seated men's anxiety was slowly dissipating.

"He seems… pretty easy going." Kilik offered this as more of a question than comment as he turned his eyes to Soul.

"Yeah, no problems so far," Ox added. "Then again, I mostly get the exciting role of watching him sleep."

"Luck of the draw," Kilik grinned.

Soul looked between the two grinning faces before sending his eyes back to Free. "I can't say I don't like him."

"Yeah…" Kilik and Ox echoed.

They let that admission linger as they watched Free lift the bench over and over without tiring. "But… is he technically a witch?" Kilik eyebrows furrowed.

"His eye," Soul sighed. "That's where the witch's power is but he says he's just an immortal, whatever that means."

"Means we can't kill him," Ox sounded almost dejected even in the face of the growing friendship.

"Which just means we need him on our side," Kilik corrected quickly as he hopefully looked to Soul. "Right?"

Soul let that sit. If his thoughts weren't about Maka or Black Star, that was it. _Just what will it take to make sure Free stays, well, free but harmless._ A well-practiced sigh followed that only cut by Free quickly dropping the men and rushing over to the three of them.

"Hey, prince!" He suddenly seemed surprised and for someone who was usually so loud, the way he leaned towards the men furtively startled all of them.

"What is it, Free?" Soul was instantly on pins and needles.

"I smell one of us," he whispered with a grin.

Kilik and Ox were up, weapons drawn as Soul leaned in closer. "Can you tell which one?"

"It's faint." Free turned from them, faced the wind, and took a long inhale through his nose. "Coming from the bridge."

 _I hope it's not part two._ Soul barely kept it from leaving his lips before he urged the three of them along with him across the yard. He unsheathed his sword and drove the group forward through the bustling courtyard, definitely parting the crowds with tense looks. The castle had adopted a certain atmosphere since the kidnapping, a new hum of anxiety in every last corner. Soul knew he should be pleased with the change, the idea that the head in the sand royals were finally accepting that there was still a war at hand exactly as Maka had hoped, but he didn't like it at the price of having his wife with him.

As the stones of the bridge came into view, Soul abandoned the strain in his heart as his eyes set on Kim and Stein in the saddle. He was just about to break into a run when Free grabbed his arm and whispered low and cautioning in Soul's ear, "The pink-haired girl. That's Medusa's girl."

"Kim," Soul almost laughed it off except when he looked back at Free his eyes were actually filled with something close to concern. "Don't worry, she was working with Medusa for us."

"Isn't a witch a witch though, prince?" Free asked back inquisitively.

"A witch…?" Soul shot his eyes back to the pair on horseback as if he would suddenly see the difference in Kim, the secret she'd been hiding. "Kim's a witch?" the wondrous murmur barely left his lips.

Free didn't answer this, still waiting for his reply to his own question. He would be waiting for some time since Soul still burst forward, leaving the three of them to catch up.

"Stein!" Soul didn't have anything to accompany it especially as Stein's smile seemed to come back so weakly.

Kim slowed the horse and slipped out of the saddle first, her hands instantly coming up to steady Stein. "You'll have to help him down. He's still a little weak."

"I'd prefer that we not talk about that right now, out in the open," Stein reminded her not so gently.

"That's right, sorry, Lord Stein." Kim was quick to throw away the worry of it as she looked at Soul. "It's great that you're alright."

"Yeah…" Soul blinked at her for a moment. "I was worried something happened to you."

"Well, I may have taken on a mission of my own without asking," Kim winced apologetically. "But we'll talk about that-" Kim cut off as her eyes widened at Free. "What are you… How?"

Free let that wolfish grin come back, "Could ask you the same thing, couldn't I?"

For a second Kim took a frantic step backward but was stopped by Stein's firm hand. Soul had helped him down to the ground and now he was keeping Kim in place, adding a second hand to her other shoulder. "I have a feeling we'll talk about that inside as well."

Ox quickly took the horse, heading off for the stables as Kilik escorted the rest into the castle in complete silence. Soul was too busy with the millions of conversations in his own head to see the same running across Kim and Stein's face. Free was pleasantly watching the three, a particularly strange feeling of interest coming over him since usually he didn't exactly _like_ humans, but this group was proving to be interesting and at the very least amusing.

Even if minds were working, feet were running faster and bringing them quickly to one of the council rooms. Most sat but Soul found his legs unable to listen to the command to bend and instead he was stiff behind the chair as his hands gripped into the wood grain. "Kilik, outside the door. Make sure no one comes in here or hears a thing."

"Got it," Kilik saluted quickly before exiting.

"What about me?" Free offered with great interest as he leaned towards Soul to look up at him expectantly.

Soul let his eyes fall to Stein, "Any objections?"

"Are we trusting him?" Stein replied swiftly.

"He knows about Maka, Medusa on his own," Soul shrugged. "If he was going to spill to the public I guess he would have already. Plus, it's not like _we_ know where Maka is at this point anyway."

"True," Stein gave his own weak roll of his shoulders. "Then no objections."

Soul turned his attention back to Free, "Up to you then."

Free leaned back in his chair, his lips holding a thin line while his mind was settling into a strange kind of cheer.

"Kim," Stein turned to her. "Will you start us off?"

"Um," Kim let the vowel waver as she looked between the three. "I…"

"Go ahead, Kim," Soul charged softly.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," she mumbled before pausing for a sigh. "You have to know that I _wanted_ to, but…" Kim leveled a frown at Soul, "It's an all or nothing, right? If you're a witch, you're evil and need to be destroyed so… of course, I had to keep from you that I am."

Soul nodded glumly, "Sure, I get it."

"So?" Free cut in, "Gonna answer me then? A witch is a witch, huh? Because you get that you're deciding something right now, right?"

"Kim's not like that," Soul tried to defend as his mind worked over the last bit of what felt like an accusation from Free.

"I still am what I am," Kim added with such dejected frankness that Soul's gut clenched.

Soul couldn't stop the begging look on his face as his words clutched to Stein. "The witches you've dealt with, Stein, have always been…?" There wasn't a way to finish that sentence especially as his eyes flicked to Kim and saw a growing disappointment.

"What we understand of witches," Stein started steadily, "is that they are all bad. They have some mischievous call to ruin lives and make people suffer. That being said…" He planted a soft hand on Kim's head. "I've been cured by one, so perhaps my understanding of them is not as absolute as I understood before."

Soul swallowed this as served these words towards Free. "But I'm not just going to make an exception for Kim because how many more of you are there who just keep to yourselves?"

"Ah," Free grinned, "That's gonna be a hard act to play out now that you have the world hunting for them because of the princess. How are you going to change all those minds again?"

"I don't know," Soul answered frankly. "It's going to take time and I'm sure it'd help if I had the two of you advising me." He pointed between Free and Kim as if this were an everyday conversation but both balked slightly, Kim blanching.

"You can't be serious," Kim spat out. "I mean, I'm sorry, Soul, but _me_? _Free_? On some kind of counsel? You think any of the other advisors are going to let that go? You think your father will?"

"I agree," Free said but that powerful grin was still on his face.

"We'll work towards it," Soul let out slowly with a sigh. "I know it won't be easy, but… I'll try. I can at least give you my word on that."

Free shrugged, that grin never leaving his lips but Kim just let out a drawn out breath. "Maybe _after_ all this with Maka. Honestly, I'd like to just take a long bath and have a nap more than be promised I'm going to advise you on witches."

Soul managed a laugh, "You're free to do any of that, Kim, but at least visit the girls first. They've been just as worried as me." Kim slipped away from Stein's touch as she stood from the chair. She paused a second at Soul's side and with only a momentary hesitation he pressed a hand to her shoulder. "Back to normal, or as normal as we can be, got it?"

"Witch or no?" she murmured.

"'Course. Can't live without you ganging up with Liz and putting me in my place," he chuckled lightly.

"Well," Kim smiled softly. "Long live the King, then." That produced another amused snort from Soul as Kim brushed off his hand and made her way out of the room.

When the door closed behind her, Stein started again. "I fought Medusa."

"And?" Soul was quick to jump on it, all his hopes crowding his thoughts.

"I killed her," Stein answered with a roll of his shoulders, "and almost myself in the process."

"But she's gone?" He had to actively suppress the way the air wanted to squeal from his lungs. _Stein could go get her, bring her back_ _ **now**_ _and there wouldn't have to be all this waiting, worrying._

"Her body was when I awoke." All of the air along with the possibilities left Soul, instantly reading that hard look on Stein's face. "I don't trust the fact that there was nothing to burn after."

"Free," Soul quickly turned his gaze to him. "Do you know what that means? Her body being gone?"

Free rubbed at the stubble on his chin before offering up a sigh, "Well, her spirit could last for a while. If one of her little snakes caught someone nearby, she could be using them as a vessel. Or she just turned into some drippy stuff and sucked into the ground. A lot of possibilities with her. She _was_ strong."

"Shit," Soul hissed.

"Again, I don't trust it exactly," Stein gave a placating smile, "but it means that as things are right now, I'll leave word with Marie to send Maka straight home. Unless Medusa shows herself again, there's no reason to assume she's not actually dead, but we should play it safe. Leave Maka on her ten-week vacation."

As he leaned his elbows onto the back of the chair, Soul let his head fall in his hands. They drifted into his hair and tugged at the roots as he let out a long, desperate breath. "But when you saw her, she was fine?"

Stein echoed him with a sigh at half the strength. "She was rightfully sad." He hesitated but at Soul brought his deep, wine-colored eyes to him, Stein couldn't help but waver. _How pathetic I am in the face of the children._ "She gave me something to give to you."

The hope on his face blossomed just for a moment before he held it in check. "Is it… alright that I have it?"

"Probably not," Stein said with another resigned exhale but still reached into his pocket, taking out the folded note. "But I know if you keep it, you'll hide it. She swears she didn't sign her name, so…" He held it out to Soul, feeling another pang in his heart as the boy snatched it from his grasp. "Would you like us to go?"

Soul's fingers felt at the paper as he looked between the two of them. "I'll, uh… be right behind you."

"Of course." Stein stood slowly, walking with even less of a rush so that he could plant a drifting hand across Soul's shoulder. At that moment, he wished he had Marie's touch, that placater of souls so that the pain that was about to hit Soul might be soothed away. Instead, he could only offer a commiserative smile as he motioned Free out in front of him. "She'll come home to you soon. Remember that."

Soul just looked desperately at him before Stein let his hand fall away and left the room behind Free. Again, he touched the paper and passed it between his hands as he sunk into the chair. As he finally opened it the tears came to his eyes without even reading a word. _Fuck, how pathetic am I that just seeing her damn handwriting is enough to make me blubber like a damn baby._ Thinking of the word baby didn't help, sending him on a spiral that he only just kept from dragging him to the bottom. Instead, he slapped a hand to his thigh, clenching at the flesh as he started the first line.

_We made a mistake picking names. We only thought of a boy or girl, not a boy and a girl. Or a girl and a girl. Or a boy and a boy. You need to think of more because there's two. I wish I could be there, maybe help you see them the way I do. Them. I know I shouldn't, it's selfish, but I needed to tell you. Even more important: they're perfect. Two perfect little souls. I love you._

He gritted his teeth and moved the paper out of the way so the tears splattered into the fabric of his pants while the word ' _them'_ resounded in his head.


	30. Chapter 30

Maka was doing a good job of hiding it and while Black Star wasn't exactly one to be checking out his best friend's wife, the distinct curve under her dress didn't escape his notice. Even approaching the idea of _saying_ something to her about it made his skin crawl for some reason so for the most part he tried to force his eyes away every time her simple gowns betrayed her. While they were technically swiftly approaching Spirit's, Black Star was still left with an even more uncomfortable feeling especially as her pace seemed to slow, feet dragging to the point where he had little to no choice if he was going to keep his word to Soul. "What's wrong with you?" he phrased perfectly as they stood next to the horses that they'd pulled to the brook for water.

"You'll have to be more specific," Maka muttered as she toed some pebbles at the shore. She leaned down to pick up a handful and while she simply wanted to throw them open fist into the water she picked out one delicately and attempted to skip it.

"You've added at least a few days to our time," Black Star said with a rough sigh. "And I'm guessing it's because there's no denying you're pregnant now."

To hell with tossing one at a time as she splattered the rocks on top of the babbling water, making her horse whinny in annoyance. Maka gripped at the cloth around the unmistakable pudge of her stomach, forcing a few breaths before she asked wistfully, "Think I can just make the excuse I got fat?"

His eyebrows raised for a moment, completely caught off guard by the humor since her usual reaction had become much like the night over the fire, before falling into laughter. "You do eat like four grown men combined."

"I'm carrying _two_ babies," Maka reminded him flippantly.

"Before the babies," Black Star shot back as he grinned, hoping she wasn't going for another handful of rocks. "Look, if you're good, it's two days until your dad's. If you keep slowing us like you have, that'll double. From the looks of you, Stein wasn't that far off on his numbers and regardless of your lack of wedding night bliss," that earned him a glare, "means you're putting yourself only a little more than a month and a half from having those babies when we get to Marie's. And that's _if_ we go there right after the ten weeks. Who knows if those two can actually get rid of Medusa on their own."

"Have a little faith." There was the swell of anger that Black Star had expected from her and in a way he welcomed it.

"So get a fucking move on," Black Star grumbled back, ignoring her plea. "I don't want to hang with your dad either, but face it, you're a grown woman, aren't you? You think _Papa_ 's got shit to say about you being knocked up after you married a prince?"

"He'll have plenty to say," Maka sighed back as she grabbed the horse's reins, pulling it from the water. "Let's go. If we ride a little longer we can make up some time."

Black Star watched her mount the horse again, his grin shrinking as she seemed to try to hide the bump as much as the look on her face. _Do I have to start worrying about you, too, princess?_

* * *

It was as if Stein had never been injured at all with the way he combed about the castle, fortifying here and improving there. Soul followed him like a puppy when he was allowed to, trying to soak up the knowledge much as he had years ago before he even had the kingdom to worry about. Everything had to be explained twice, once to the people doing the deed and the second to Soul who had thankfully found some stability in the constant creation of order and planning. Free would sometimes play the second hound at the heels, but more so out of the amusement of watching them living in feigned control of the world.

That day, after Free had wandered off and the bustle of the afternoon had started to wane, Soul was still following Stein but found him moving towards the prince's quarters. It seemed out of place but Soul followed dutifully, never questioning until Stein did open the door of his room. There wasn't a pause, not even a glance back at Soul as he walked in, but his voice started the instant the door shut behind them. "You know, I missed the birth of my first son, and now will most definitely miss the birth of the second."

There was no sting in Stein's words but Soul felt it anyway, his eyes dropping to his feet as he took a stuttering breath. "I'm sorry you'll be here with me instead."

"That's not the point of me saying it," Stein added succinctly. "Then again, Marie has always said I deliver empathy rather poorly. Or sympathy." An amused laugh brought Soul's eyes back up to him as Stein motioned to the end of the bed. "You've been upset. It's obvious. It distracts you and you need to be distracted from it because I need you as a fighter, a leader, not a love-sick husband."

"Sorry," Soul let that word repeat, knowing the weak, uselessness of it.

"Here is your distraction." Stein pointed again and Soul finally followed the motion, seeing the two small wooden cribs tucked together on the ground.

Soul barely swallowed something that wanted to be a sob and a groan at the same time. He looked back at Stein with crinkling, quivering lips. "Maybe you are bad at sympathy if you think that I want it thrown in my face that-" Soul cut off as his voice hit a hoarse note, the shouting ruined by threatening tears burning the back of his throat.

Stein grabbed him by the shoulder, forcing him a few steps forward towards the cribs, cracking a smile at the hardness on the boy's face. He knelt next to one, fingers drifting along the edge of the wood. "I was sure that Marie would never forgive me. Mostly for getting her in that position in the first place, but also for being unable to show my love for her and what we created." His nail tapped into the bare wood before he raised his eyes back to Soul. "Before I left, I made sure that everything was ready for her, for our new son. I built most of the necessary things myself, as I built these for you. It takes up time, it takes up space in your mind to create things for those you love."

He let out a warbling sigh, "You've already done most of the work."

Stein shook his head but when he focused back on Soul it was with a grin. "Carpentry was never your strong suit but you were always more of the artistic type." There was glee gleaming in his eyes and while Soul had been trying to set his heart against it, he fell to his knees next to Stein. "You could always paint them. Or, as I caught you doing once, carve the wood like you did that box for Maka's famous gift."

A boyish blush hit his cheeks as he stared at Stein dumbfounded, "You caught me?"

"Well," Stein shrugged. "You were acting very strange that week and Marie had urged me to find out what you were up to. I may have not overheard anything, but I think I pieced the puzzle together well. Then, of course, Black Star was an easy interrogation target."

"Because he can't keep his mouth shut," Soul sighed wistfully, feeling the empty hole left by both of them ache in his gut.

A chuckle left Stein's mouth before he squeezed Soul's shoulder. "So, whittle away at the wood. Perhaps paint what you don't. Make these your own to show her and them that no matter what, you are dedicated to them."

Soul let his head fall to his hands, trying to keep the strain of his tears as silent as he could.

Stein sighed, letting his hand travel to the back of Soul's neck to give him a slight shake. "And let this be the last time you cry over it. Maka wouldn't want it."

"I miss her," he whispered mournfully.

"Of course." He patted Soul's neck before releasing him. "But it is _very_ temporary. Do this for her."

Soul turned bleary, red eyes to him. "Thanks, Stein."

"You're welcome." Stein stood slowly and achingly, turning on his heels in preparation to leave him.

"Stein," Soul called as he got to the door, encouraging Stein to turn his head back to look at him. "I am sorry that you have to be here with me. I wish you could be with Marie."

"If I can't be with my son," he smiled without the delight of it, "It helps to be with the next closest thing."

* * *

Maka could no longer tell if the churning in her stomach was the nerves or the babies. The ghostly flutters had started only a day ago but the anxiety had clung to her the moment they'd left the main road and there was no hope of turning back. She had already warned Black Star that the house looming ahead, tucked tightly in trees just off the scraggly path that could barely be called a road was their final resting place. Within a few steps, she was pulling her horse to a halt, slipping out of the saddle preemptively, and watching Black Star silently do the same. He took her reins before jutting his chin forward, a silent urging in the face of all the screaming in her head.

Her hand barely touched the gate when she heard him inside. "Stay here," Spirit muttered back into the house as the door opened. With the angle of the door, his first view was of Black Star and the horses, leaving those thin lips drawing into an even thinner line. "What do you want?"

"A beer would be nice," Black Star muttered.

"Then go to a pub," Spirit growled back. "Don't know who sent you-"

"I did," Maka let the words ring out clearly as she pressed open the gate.

Spirit's head immediately swiveled, his eyes going wide. "Maka?" He was instantly scrambling towards her but as he went to throw his arms around her, her hands planted on his chest.

"Papa, we need to talk."

That voice chilled Black Star, a tone in her he'd never heard before even at those moments when he was sure she was about to kill him. It must have been the same for Spirit because all of them seemed frozen until Black Star pulled the tight knot of the reins against the fence. "Let's go inside," he muttered to the two of them as he firmly grasped Maka's elbow and pulled her out of that halted embrace. He let Maka lead the way, opening the door for him and letting him in before his feet rooted to the floor. "What the _fuck_?"

Maka quickly grabbed for Black Star, only just stopping him from unsheathing his sword.

"What the _fuck_ is that monster doing here and why the _fuck_ are you not letting me kill it?" Black Star spat over his shoulder at Maka before turning furious eyes back at Crona.

While Crona had grown like the rest of them, his courage in the face of anyone's fury certainly had not. As soon as Black Star started to scream, he had dropped for cover at the edge of the table. "I'm sorry!"

"Put it away," Maka hissed at Black Star as she dug her nails into his arm. "They're not-"

"That thing almost killed Soul," Black Star growled as he ripped away from her, only to get his arm caught by Spirit.

"Listen to Maka," Spirit urged before using his hold on Black Star to get him to his other side, becoming a barrier in front of Crona.

Gears were grinding in Black Star's mind as his glare passed dizzyingly quickly between Maka and Crona. "You're OK with this?"

"I did this," Maka reassured him as her hand came firmly back to his arm. "I asked Papa to watch Crona. Without that sword, without whatever's _in_ that sword, Crona's just… well, harmless."

"I can't believe this _shit_ ," Black Star started to mutter as he jammed his sword back down to the hilt. He found the closest chair and threw his back into it. "You got that beer?" he croaked up to Spirit.

"Sorry, no drinking in the house," Spirit muttered glumly.

"What?" shot instantly from Maka's lips, her eyes narrowing at Spirit.

Spirit offered her a smile and took a step closer. "I quit the stuff."

For a moment, Maka's jaw stiffened to keep her lips from quivering. "When did you do that?" The question came with forced casualness, a stale phrase like ' _how's the weather?'_

With another step he was in range to touch her, his hand already starting to reach out to her as the words trembled off his tongue. "After you left."

Maka whipped out of his grasp and turned for the door, throwing the words messily over her shoulder. "I'm going to see to the horses."

"Maka-"

Black Star's grip on Spirit was firm, yanking him back to allow Maka her escape. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Spirit's face contorted as he hissed, "And who the fuck are you, anyway? I know you're not that prince of hers so why the hell did she come all this way-"

"I'm that prince's best friend, and right now, I'm keeping another promise - to not let her kill you." Black Star allowed for one sigh to grind against the back of his throat into a groan. "Just get that _thing_ to calm down and _you_ just sit down and shut up. I'll get her back in here and try to get her to talk to you like she doesn't want to pull your guts out of your nose." Black Star stomped the rest of the way out, slamming the front door closed behind him. _But first, that little princess is getting a piece of my fucking mind about this almost-kill-my-best-friend-but-get-away-with-it business._ He followed the easiest path around the side of the house, seeing a little overhang that could be confused as half a barn and her tying up the horses. "Maka!" he shouted but as soon as she turned he wished he could suck the sound back.

Tears were streaming down her face and while a majority of this trip had been punctuated with some form of wailing or another this was nothing like it was before. While he'd seen her wear many faces since they were teens, this was alien, stark devastation that blanched her cheeks and forced the tears to dribble over them. For a second, she looked like she was about to speak but turned from him instead, forcing her eyes out into the darkness.

Black Star kept his steady steps and grabbed her, turning her back towards him to force her into his arms, an unpracticed and rusty maneuver. _When's the last time you held a girl? Or, really, held one because of this and not because of some midnight romp._ "So the old man's a drunk?" he grunted summarily.

Maka only nodded against his shirt, her slow attempts to suck in air sounding warbled against the fabric.

"Mom's long gone," Black Star listed dejectedly. "Dad would rather drink than take care of you, so you go to Marie's."

This nod was even more agonizingly slow.

"Then you get just about everything you want," Black Star's voice was starting to waver, whatever anger he had there drifted away and forgotten, "The guy you love, a happy little family, and then you have to come back to this mess. Be reminded that all of that goes away, gets taken from you. Hell, gets taken from you twice when you consider Soul going away the first time."

Maka choked again and he tried to tighten his grip on her, tried to hold all of those pieces she'd been slowly gluing back together over the years in place.

"Alright," he shot out a sigh. "I'll forgive you for this stupid bullshit with that freak in there. I assume you have to have a good reason to have saved it instead of murdered, even if it did try to kill Soul."

"Crona," Maka murmured. "Their name is Crona."

"Fine, _Crona._ "

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," she murmured.

"Apology not accepted for that," Black Star huffed. "You had plenty of time when you could have opened that big mouth of yours."

"I'm sorry," she repeated, and this time that regular amount of annoyance was bubbling back.

"You owe me," he grumbled as he pulled her away from his chest, hands firmly planted on her shoulders. "I think I'm going to force you to promote me. Really make you eat those words about me being immature."

Maka still managed to roll her tear-stained eyes. "You're already captain of the guard."

"Then you better lord me, like Stein," Black Star let a cackle pass his lips, heartened by the way his smirk minutely echoed on her face.

"You can have whatever you want if you get me back to him in time," Maka sighed.

Black Star gave her shoulders a shake, "Means I get to be godfather?"

Maka let out a sharp laugh, "He was probably going to give that to you _anyway_."

"But you would have fought him tooth and nail," Black Star grinned.

As her hands came to her face to clear what was left of the tears, she shook her head slowly. "No. You're a good friend." She paused before amending, "To all of us."

He dropped his hands away from her, crossing his arms over his chest instead. "Then listen. You're not here to rehash the past. He's not getting your forgiveness and if he asks for it, _I'll_ gut-punch him myself. You're here for him to prove that he can do at least one thing right and offer you a safe space until we can move on back to Marie. That's the game-plan. That's what you tell him in that takes-no-shit way you do when you're angry."

"I…" Maka let the vowel quiver before she pressed her fingers into her eyes again.

"I'm not doing it, if that's what you think this little crying act is going to get you, princess," Black Star huffed as best he could but felt his instincts pushing to touch her again so he sent a hand to her shoulder to pull her along. They started walking toward the front of the house and there was a modicum of relief in the way Maka held her head tall, her breath starting to come easily again. He let her open the door though he was immediately behind her, a glower on his face meant to silence any possible interruption before it began. It was mostly successful, leaving Spirit with just a sour face, but Crona instantly sunk from it to look at Maka.

"Welcome home, Maka," he tried cheerfully but it ended up sounding closer to panicked.

"Thank you, Crona," Maka moved to them first, getting close enough that she could put a soft hand on their shoulder. "I hope you've been alright."

"Fine, thank you," there was a little more chipperness to it and the smile was less frantic at the edges. "I'm sorry if I-" they shot an anxious look at Black Star before stuttering off.

"It's not you," the buoyancy was back in Maka's voice. "It was my fault. I just didn't tell Black Star so he was still a little upset about what happened with Soul."

"For good reason," Black Star muttered.

"Yes, for good reason," she shot over her shoulder with little patience before turning back to Crona with that saintly, sweet voice. "It won't be a problem."

Spirit cleared his throat, "Can we start from the beginning again?"

Black Star hid it as a grab of her shoulder but it was that urge coming back to him to soothe her against his better judgment, and he pulled her into the seat across from her father so he could tower over her. That hand stayed firmly planted regardless. "Go ahead, princess."

"I don't need your permission," she grumbled.

He let out an incredulous snort of a laugh as he resisted the urge to flick her cheek, pulling away his hand instead so he could cross his arms over his chest.

"Papa," Maka followed this by a slow inhale. "Things at the castle became a little too dangerous and now I just need a place to stay that's safe, where I'll be unknown for a while."

"Too dangerous?" Spirit balked. "What does that mean?"

"It means," she had to urge another trembling breath, "that I'm pregnant so fighting isn't exactly an option right now." Her eyes hesitantly fell on Spirit's face to watch the revolution of at least ten different emotions. It started with shock, flowing almost instantly into a fleeting second of joy to only be overtaken with a quick succession of flashes that Maka couldn't even hope to identify.

"You're having a baby?" squeaked out with a final settle back into awe.

"Babies," Maka corrected with a sigh. "Twins."

"Babies?" Spirit choked out. Maka nodded but just as she opened her mouth to continue and simply edge right past the subject, Spirit continued. "How?"

A withering sigh left her lips, "How do you think?"

That left Spirit smoldering long enough for Black Star to let out a grunt of a laugh and add, "And trust me, they weren't lazy about it."

"Black Star," Maka hissed at him as she struck a glare over her shoulder.

"What?" He shrugged. "You two didn't even _need_ the bet about your life for an heir."

"A bet?" Spirit practically screeched.

Maka was still gritting her teeth at Black Star as she grumbled, "I had to assure the Queen that I would produce an heir in order to even get married in the first place."

"So you wagered your life on it?" Spirit spat back at her as he started out of his chair. "I knew I never should have let Stein-"

"Don't you dare," Maka slapped his words out of the air with the snap of her tongue. "You don't get to say that you _let_ him do anything. Stein and Marie _saved_ me, and you should know that I am officially Marie's daughter."

His brow furrowed as his mouth hung open, "When the hell did that happen?"

Her voice was chillingly soft and Black Star saw her jaw set hard, "I needed to be a lady to marry Soul in the first place."

"A lady," he started counting on his fingers, splaying them for her, "Married, pregnant, what else am I now finally allowed to know?"

"She's a princess," Black Star corrected. "About to be Queen." The irritation was obvious in his sigh and while Maka was ready to yell at him again, he barrelled through. "And there's no point in arguing about it. All we need to know is whether or not you're going to help your daughter. We'll need ten weeks here. That's all. So, yes or no?"

"Of course the answer's yes-"

"Great," Black Star didn't allow for another word, moving Maka again by grabbing her by the bicep and practically lifting her from the seat. "We're done for the night. I assume she has a room that used to be hers." He directed that more towards Maka and she instantly picked up the pace. She didn't bother with a glance at Spirit but offered a soft hand over Crona's shoulder as she passed. Maka led Black Star down the short hallway, making a quick turn into the second room on the left before screeching to a halt just in the doorway. "Stay here," Black Star ordered as he released her. "I'll get the things from the horses."

He was gone before Maka could offer him an answer, the door shut almost on her back. The room was unchanged and strangely free of dust as if there had still been living done in the room. She took another step closer to the bed but lost the nerve for another, her eyes glancing over the familiar blankets and books at the bedside. Somehow the smell was even still the same, a mix of the dried flowers that she always hung from the rafters and the ink of old pages. After a few deep breaths, her feet brought her to the bed and her knees left her to do nothing more than to sit.

Black Star was back as quickly as he had gone, barging back through the door to deposit all of their goods to the floor without ceremony. He kicked the door shut with his foot and let out a long breath. "That went well."

Maka gave him a weak frown in reply.

"There's nothing he doesn't know now and you didn't kill him," Black Star stated with a sharp laugh. "I'll take that as a success, at least for tonight."

Looking at him only seemed to egg on the smile on his face so Maka collapsed on her side, hugging tightly to the pillow as she struggled to try to forget where she was and, even for a second, _who_ she was. It was nowhere close to working, her mind refusing to do anything but start to backtrack through the childhood memories that lingered around her like the smells when Black Star collapsed next to her. She turned over quickly in the bed, finding him laying casually on the other side. "What the hell are you doing?"

He snorted a laugh, "You can't expect me to sleep on the floor."

"I expect you not to sleep next to me," Maka shot back.

"Why?" he offered with every ounce of honesty.

"I'm _married_."

"Yeah, I know," Black Star waved his hand at her casually. "To my best friend. Who told me to guard you. And guarding you from the same bed makes it pretty easy."

Maka sat up quickly, glowering from above him. "You can't be serious."

"Deadly serious," Black Star answered back with a little chuckle as he let his eyes close. "It's not like I move in my sleep anyway. Bet you won't even notice I'm here."

"That's not the point!" Maka hissed at him but he was entirely unmoving, eyes shut and hands resting clasped on his chest. There was a brief moment spent contemplating strangling every last bit of air from him but since she'd already been unsuccessful at it once, she wasn't entirely willing to try it again. Instead, she threw herself back on her side, leaving her back as her final message to him. Of course, in her head, there were plenty more messages after, a string of curses and accusations of buffoonery that surprisingly stole her away from the past and left her very aware of only the present annoyance.

It was just as her eyes were feeling heavy, the only energy she had left to expel used in the slow stroke of her hand over the swell of her belly when his voice started again in a low whisper, "Stein took me, too, you know that?"

Maka blinked her eyes open into the dark and since there wasn't another sound she was almost sure she'd half dreamed it. After a pause, she risked a murmur back, "From where?"

"Bandit den." It didn't necessarily sound like Black Star's voice anymore, now completely flat of the usual amusement and gusto.

"Did they kidnap you?"

"No."

Her brow furrowed in thought, nibbling on her lip for a moment before starting again. "Why were you there then?"

"I was just a baby." The answer seemed like nonsense so she waited, hearing him take in a long breath. "Even if I was technically a bandit too, Stein couldn't kill me. So he just took me."

"But you were living with Soul…"

"Was one of the times Stein was out with Prince Wes on a campaign," he continued slowly as if each word was like fitting a puzzle piece. "I think it was because he was still thinking about Soul just being born and all and I guess… Prince Wes felt sorry for me, had Stein take me back and I was raised like Soul's shadow."

For what seemed like the first time in her life she struggled to put together the words, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Black Star answered back with none of the same agonizings in thought. "I didn't know them and I got Soul instead. For the big deal people make of parents, sometimes they're the last thing you need." As Maka tried to chew that over, to dissect it, he filled the darkness again. "I was wrong, huh?"

"About what?" Against her previous cursing, she rolled onto her back to study his face, finding him completely unchanged except for the moving lips.

"I guessed you _went_ to Marie's. Didn't sound like you had much of a choice, so why didn't you correct me?" It was eerie how still he was beside the lips.

"Because I'd rather pretend that's what it was," Maka murmured.

That settled back into a long silence and while Maka waited for new words from him, another low whisper, instead his hand untangled from the other and awkwardly pressed to her stomach. "You're going to be better than that. You and Soul."

She couldn't figure out what it was but there was no chance she had the heart to push his hand away. A strange swell of tears risked releasing for a moment. _If we get the chance. Sometimes it still doesn't feel real, it feels-_ but the thought was cut instantly by the fluttering movement in her stomach again.

Black Star snatched back his hand, making half a yelp as his eyes shot open, "They moved!"

For the first time since they left, Maka laughed without restraint. "They do that."

"That was…" and suddenly it was Black Star again, all grins and loudness, "... _disgusting._ How the hell do you even sleep like that?"

"You get used to it," she murmured through a smile. _Just like I guess I'll get used to you._


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I think I'm making Black Star go off the total deep-end and I LOVE it. I am really all in for his transformation. How this went from a pure SoMa to Black Star growth I don't know but strap yourself in.

It wasn't the nightmare again but it was just as vivid and Soul's heart was pumping in that marathon run. He wasn't the one under the water but that's what it felt like, air a stranger to his lungs. That was because he was screaming for Maka incessantly, pleading because he needed her to surface in order to come back to him. When he tried to sink his arm into the brackish ocean it was like forcing his fingers through muck with so much resistance he was sure he'd wretch his shoulder just from the pressure. Except as soon as he felt her fingers it didn't matter anymore, nothing was going to get in his way and keep him from pulling her to him. Soul had the strength if it was with her, for her.

He woke up gasping, sheets clutched tightly like he was still trying to pull her back with him. Soul coughed for breath but as his eyes attempted to focus in the darkness, he saw it as an apparition. A little girl, blond, her back to him as if she had been next to him but was now studying the cribs. _Blond, like Maka's blond… am I imagining it?_ Soul moved to the night table and struck a match to light the candle but as the room illuminated the cribs were by themselves, still waiting. He sighed hoarsely to deny the tears before sliding out of bed, starting to light the lamps around the room.

As soon as there was enough shine in the room to kill the shadows he hunkered down on the floor next to the cribs where he'd left out all of his tools. They were still clean but his hands felt rusty from disuse and he had stacked scrap pieces of wood under his bed to practice the carvings before he would dare to mar the beautiful surfaces of the bassinets. He was mostly sure he'd gotten the forget-me-nots down but the more intricate pedal patterns would have to come back to his fingers through practice. It'd been so long since he carved that box, something that he'd actually told no one even after remembering all the finer details of the agonizing over Maka's gift, that he was almost afraid that the repetition would never bring it back.

But each trial on the extra wood looked better than the last. He'd even settled into the idea now, using his charcoal to leave a frame of the design on the top of each crib. Above his children's heads would rest all the flowers of love and devotion. Maybe he'd lose a finger or two to the carving but it would be worth it to show her and them because each day all he could do was cling to Stein's orders. After almost instantly nicking a finger thanks to his still sleep-addled brain, Soul sighed and clunked his head against the foot of the bed, taking a moment to wake himself up with the pattern of the stone wall. As he stared, a smile came to his face. Maybe not just wood. Maybe he needed canvas, too.

* * *

Black Star awoke early just as the light started to filter in through the window. The house was still completely silent and Maka was carrying more of Soul than just his children as she remained dead asleep, not even offering a twitch of an eye as he sat up from the bed. _Why did I even mention that? Or touch her?_ He didn't like those questions and wanted to be free of them so he forced his steps from the room and out into the hall. After a pause to find there was still not a stir of life anywhere, he went out into the yard and strode to the barn.

The horses were lazily nuzzling around for hay and he managed to scrounge up enough of a bale to toss in front of them. His eyes searched around the rest of the yard, settling on a stump with an ax in it. At least manual labor was mind-consuming, so he went about grabbing the pieces of wood nearby and chopping them into stove-sized pieces. He never contemplated the noise he was making in the process until he saw the fright-filled face poking out of the backdoor. When their eyes met, Black Star was almost sure the head would disappear but when it didn't, he paused to say, "Crona, right?"

"Yes," came back a little shakily but the door creaked open further.

"Black Star. Sorry I didn't exactly introduce myself yesterday." _Mostly because I still kinda want to kill you._

"No, I, um…" As Crona exited completely into the yard, Black Star caught sight of the worrying hands and shuffling feet. "I guess I'm sorry too."

"Not your fault. Maka's a real pain in the ass, that's all," Black Star let that fall to a grumble as he picked up another log.

"Um, no, not about Maka, _and you really shouldn't talk that way about her_ ," the second half was so quiet that Black Star almost missed it. He resisted a smirk as Crona struggled to bring his voice back. "I'm sorry I hurt your friend, Soul."

Black Star followed through with the next swing but let the ax plant in the stump. "You almost killed him." He let his fingers dig into the handle before he let out a long breath. "But I guess you didn't. I guess…" Black Star studied Crona's face, searching for defenses and finding none. "Since Maka loves Soul just as much as I do and can forgive you then I might as well."

"Thank you," Crona added a bow that forced the smirk and laughs from Black Star's mouth.

"Cut that out," he spat out with another chuckle. "Keep the bows for Maka. She's the only royalty around here."

The door creaked again and expelled just the mentioned blond, her eyes already rolling, "Crona doesn't have to bow to me."

Black Star let out a dry laugh before wiping his hands on his pants and then dusting stray splinters of wood off his arms. "What's the plan for today?"

"Does there have to be one?" Maka offered back almost instantly but her mind wasn't on her words or his, too busy churning over the set up between Crona and Black Star. She was studying the tea leaves, the leftovers of their encounter and finding Crona only at his regular amount of nerves. It was a pleasant surprise, to say the least, especially since those protective feelings seemed to amplify with each passing day. She may not have her babies yet, but she had plenty to take care of in the world.

Black Star allowed her to analyze every last bit before he started closer to her. That strange part of him that had awoken the night before tried to rear its ugly but not so necessarily bad head. "I'll ask _Papa_ to take me into town. Let you two catch up. But that means I won't be around, so think you can keep your precious little self out of trouble for a few hours?"

"You mean I get to be let out of your sight?" Maka feigned exuberant joy but let it fall into a soft smile at his annoyance. "And then when you get back I'll do you a favor."

"A favor?" Black Star raised his eyebrows.

"That's what I said," she replied curtly and dismissed the rest as she put protective hands on Crona's shoulders. "Come on, Crona, you and I get to _catch up_." She shot Black Star one more amused glance, finding his brow furrowing further with a mixture of displeasure and confusion as she pressed Crona through the back fence. Technically, she was famished but she needed exactly what Black Star had promised, freedom from seeing Spirit's face again this morning. Instead, she'd go to the place that she always went to avoid that old house, the sullen looks in his eyes, the unfair push and pull of being a child forced to grow.

"Maka, where are we going?" Crona asked innocently but not without a lilt of joy. Even with the tension they knew was brewing from all sides, it was a reprieve to have someone else other than Spirit.

"A place that I should have shown you," Maka chimed happily. "Consider it an apology for sending you off here with Spirit and not coming back to see you settled."

"Oh," Crona embraced the bliss for one more breath before releasing it with the air. "I'm sorry you were unhappy here."

"You still haven't learned what you should apologize for, have you?" As the forest opened to the field, Maka changed her stride, coming side by side with Crona. "When something goes wrong, it's not always your fault."

"But I feel bad," they offered back quickly.

Maka let out a thoughtful hum as she started to catch wildflowers with her fingers. "But when it's something you didn't do, weren't involved in, you don't apologize for it," she tried to correct gently.

Crona's features tumbled through the words, eyebrows moving and lips fiddling as Maka continued to guide them at their side. They settled on something that at least felt like it could spread some kind of comfort, "Spirit really did quit, you know."

"I'm sure he did," Maka answered quickly with a dryness that zapped away any of Crona's hopes.

"But-"

"It's OK, Crona," Maka tried to urge as she passed off some flowers to them. "You don't have to."

Crona fiddled away one of the flower heads with worried fingers. "He's sorry, too, you know."

Maka let her mouth open but fell closed again after a long sigh. The path had led them back to a wooded spot and Maka took their hand to tug them into the darkness, pulling quickly to the left through brambles that ripped at their skin and clothes. Maka never minded losing a little blood for this was always the only place that used to calm her thoughts. The thorn bushes opened to a trickling stream, pristinely clear and babbling in soft tones that eased even the most broken heart. Hugging each line of the shore were blossoms so delicate that the pedals were practically see-through.

"Wow!" Crona crooned as they fell to their knees, face peering close at the transparent beauties.

"I've never seen them anywhere else," Maka couldn't stop the pride from leaking into her voice. "So these have to be special. But don't pick them, alright? They die right away."

"Oh, no, I'd never," Crona reassured her as they continued to eye the tiny buds.

Maka settled next to them, watching Crona's earnest obsessive care and attention and finding strange comfort in it. She sat back on her heels and gave into the movement that was quickly becoming her first instinct when it came to self-soothing, to let her fingers delicately run along the starting swell of her stomach. It was by no means large, but the babies had definitely announced themselves.

Suddenly, Crona's eyes were not fixed on her stomach just as much as they had been on the blossoms. "So, you're going to have a baby, I mean, babies? Soon?"

"Not too soon," Maka hesitated but gave in to the gushing pride of it for a moment. "They're Soul's babies. Our babies. I kind of… hope it's a boy and a girl. A little matching pair. And maybe that they'll look like him, at least the boy. It'd be nice to…" she let out a happy trickle of a laugh, "I think that would make him happy and I can just imagine another little worrier scowling around after me."

Crona let out a trembling hand, but just like the flowers, they hesitated, unsure of how their touch might warp something so delicate.

"It's alright," Maka said softly as she daintily grabbed just their finger and guided it to the fabric. "If you're lucky, they might even move."

That made Crona wriggle in their skin slightly but they still let two light fingertips touch next to Maka's own hand. "Oh," came suddenly and slightly awestruck from Crona's mouth.

"I didn't feel them," Maka murmured almost to herself.

"No, but…" Crona brought wide eyes to her. "They're singing."

"Singing?" Maka blinked at them, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Or…" Crona lips worked for a second. "You know they've got the blood, right? That's what's singing. All the black blood."

There wasn't enough moisture in her mouth to bring any words forth, just a sickly groan that she barely cut off by pressing the back of her hand to her mouth.

"Maka?" Crona started to ease their fingers away, staring up at her face to try to read what was only coming off to them as more panic.

"It's fine," Maka forced the words, urging them to snap that still feeling in her chest like her heart had forgotten to beat. "We… we already kind of knew that, I guess, it's just…" _All the black blood_ rang again in her head, the idea that her babies were drowning in it. _No, no, Maka, don't. Remember what Stein said. They're fine. Perfect. Even if there is blood, they still have yours and Soul's too._ "It's fine," she repeated with a little more air in her lungs.

* * *

Black Star had only experienced this mood with jilted ladies, so seeing it on a man was filling him with a mirthful confusion. Spirit was trudging along back towards the house after the humdrum trip to the market, huffing at different intervals as thoughts seemed to revolve on his face that spurred seconds of rage that broke away to woeful trembling of his lips. It would almost be comical if it wasn't so pathetic and Black Star was starting to wonder if he'd died and this was somehow his hell. _How the fuck am I the one who has to deal with everyone's emotional problems?_ He cleared his throat, "So, uh, about Maka…"

Spirit's eyes were an unconvincing miss-mash of ' _don't you dare talk about my daughter'_ and ' _please, help me.'_ "What about her?" he spat back.

"Don't talk to her, that's my suggestion," Black Star offered back quickly with a vague shrug. " _If_ she gets over whatever the hell she's feeling, she'll come to you, but she'll hang you over a spit if you try anything first."

"And what do you know about her, anyway?" Spirit grumbled back glumly. "You're supposed to be that idiot prince's best friend."

"Don't call him an idiot," Black Star hissed through a forced smile. _Only I get to do that._ "And I am. But you watch your best friend woo a girl for almost half his life and you learn from his mistakes."

Something that was probably going to be words but was cut down to a cough came from Spirit's throat before he snapped his eyes forward and away from Black Star, hiding the way his brow furrowed in thought. It was a dozen more steps before Spirit brought together the oddly jumbled question, "Half his life? Did they know each other that long?"

Black Star weighed it and wondered how much skin Maka would peel off of him if he divulged any kind of truth about her. "Don't know when Maka got there," Black Star couldn't stop the hint of anger at that as the memory of her sadness lapped at him, "but Soul and I went to Lady Marie's at maybe… 11? 12? I don't know. Both of us just wanted to fight. Soul wanted to be like his brother and since he wasn't an heir or anything, his parents didn't mind losing him to train with some lower vassal. Maka was already there at that point, and he'd probably kill me for sayin' it, but he was done for the minute they met."

She probably _would_ kill him for this but the words tumbled just as easily as the laugh from his lips, "She didn't give a _shit_ that he was a prince and I'm not sure anyone had ever treated him that way besides me, and especially not a woman. She was training with Stein and he walked right up, requesting an audience all fancifully and your daughter told him that if he wanted to spar he was free to fight her, but if not, he should get the hell out of the way."

"She did that?" Spirit's eyes were wide.

"Why?" A creeping had started in his skin because that _was_ Maka, the entirety of her, that inescapable bossing and know-it-all temper that you either fell in line with or got run over by and any insinuation of anything different was completely impossible. "She's always been like that."

Spirit easily read the incredulity in Black Star's face and it fed the woe in his gut. "She was quiet for a while."

It shouldn't have started his blood boiling the way it did but without the steady, level Soul to talk him out of a bout of rage, the snap of his voice was inevitable. Especially since without Soul, who was going to protect Maka? "What's a while?"

Spirit's eyebrows jumped on his forehead before he forced them into a furrow. "I'm sure she complained enough about her drunk, trashy father and her living ghost of a mother."

"Not once," Black Star spat back quickly. "Not one fucking time. Not to me, not to him. Hell, I assumed you were both dead with the way she _didn't_ talk about either of you."

"We might as well both be," Spirit muttered as he quickened his steps.

Black Star placed the pack on the ground purposefully, careful not to upend any goods before he lunged and grabbed Spirit by the back of the shirt. He heard the soft _yack_ of Spirit losing the air from his mouth but even that didn't make Black Star feel right. Even tossing him in the dust seemed to scratch the surface so Black Star steadied a boot right in the middle of his chest, staring down at him coldly. "You can be if you want to. Because something tells me that you deserve how she feels about you. You earned it. And since my prince doesn't care for you, I'm not all that sure, father-in-law or no, that he'd have much to say if I did kill you. So what do you want? Death or to get the hell over yourself and hope your daughter forgives you?" He didn't wait for an answer, just momentarily digging his heel into Spirit's sternum before launching himself back to the road, grabbing the sack as he made hurried steps back towards the house.


	32. Chapter 32

Soul was about to risk being pleasantly surprised to see Free's face first thing in the morning until the man's face tightened as he entered the room. "What is it?" his inquisitiveness was genuine considering Free had mostly fallen in line with life in the castle and showed very little disdain for any of it anymore.

"Your room smells strange." Free took a long whiff of the air before shaking his head. "Not right."

"Could be the wood or the paint," Soul pointed out each as Free took the steps closer to get a sniff of each.

"Not it," he muttered as he started to huff around the room, corners and crevices until he came full circle by the bed. "Here."

"The maids change the sheets," Soul offered playfully until Free furrowed his brow. With the seriousness on his face, Soul finally settled into thought and forced his eyes to roam around the room to jog his mind for the culprit. As his eyes fell on Free again, looking at his position, it hit him. "I, uh, saw something standing there last night."

"Something?" Free raised an eyebrow.

"Someone, I guess," Soul tried to shrug it off but it only made Free's forehead wrinkle further. "I think I dreamt it. It looked like a little girl, maybe like Maka, so I was probably just-"

"Doesn't smell like a dream," Free said uneasily. "Something was here."

"Or someone," Soul muttered up at him with a sigh. "Medusa?"

"Medusa's not a smell, she's too smart for that," Free shook his head solemnly. "She's a feeling, and that's only when she's around. It's a tingle on the back of your neck, the kind you get when you know there's a snake about to strike but it's camouflaged enough that you can't see it. She's just fear drifting in the air."

Soul smiled glumly, "Sounds great."

Free let out a snort of a laugh, "Come on, whatever it is, could be fun. Could be more interesting than you whittling away all day and night. Do neither of you sleep?"

There wasn't a way that amusement could settle into him from the idea that _something_ was wandering around. _That's not the kind of distraction I want._ "Who else hasn't been sleeping?"

"Stein," Free offered as he lost interest, sticking his head out the window to take in the fresh air from the courtyard. "Let's do something today. Some kind of game. Maybe those trainees of yours need a real fight."

Soul shook his head with a sigh. _No one needs a real fight._

* * *

Maka's eyes flicked with growing concern as she stood from the table when they entered. Spirit was disheveled, dust-covered while Black Star was holding onto a sickly grin.

"Time for my fucking favor," he chimed while the pack clunked to the table.

Her first instinct was to tease but after one more look over to her father, Maka took a deep inhale. "Let's go, then." She picked up her knapsack from the floor, motioning Black Star to follow. The scene was weaving in her own mind, the possibilities of what had happened and the reasoning behind it.

"Have a good time with Crona?" Black Star broke the silence as they eased through the backdoor into the yard.

Maka sent a fleeting glance of a smile back at him, "Of course. Maybe you won't believe it, but Crona's very kind, and oddly more honest than most people. It's kind of like they don't know what they shouldn't say."

"But they sure panic right after," Black Star added with a laugh.

She hummed out a sad affirmative before cutting the opposite direction across the field, her fingers still reflexively gathering flowers. The silence didn't settle and the stops and starts revolved on her tongue as she caught the grumbles and nonsense grunts from his direction. By the time her hands had filled with stems, they'd reached the crest of the hill and Maka pressed through the last line of trees that guarded the head of the creak. This wasn't the small trickle that she had led Crona to but deeper waters that fed into it, the volume so great that it'd created an eddied pool that was enough for a man to stand submerged to the shoulders. "Your favor." Maka pointed with a sweeping hand.

"Water?" Black Star grimaced. "What the hell am I doing with this?"

"A bath," Maka rolled her eyes. "Couldn't help but notice you didn't smell all that pleasant last night."

He snorted a laugh, "You're one to talk." The insult was half-hearted as he was already throwing off his shirt, letting it fall at her feet as he made for his belt.

Maka let out a huff of a sigh as she turned from him, not entirely surprised anymore but still snapping with annoyance, "You have no shame."

"Nope," Black Star cackled as he started to work off his boot by stepping on the heel with the other. "And it's not like you're interested anyway, princess." That was thrown flippantly over his shoulder as he got off both shoes and proceeded to get the rest of his clothes out of the way.

She settled down onto the grassy part of the shore, keeping her back to the water as she hugged the pack to her chest. There was a distinctive splash, a playful whoop from his throat and while she was clutching her annoyance as tightly as the bag, Maka still let a smile touch her lips. _That's Black Star. Whatever's happening to him there's at least still some of him left in there._ She picked at the leather as she let the splashing continue for a few minutes until she felt she could break the silence. "What did you do to Papa?"

The sloshing of the water stopped beside the natural gurgling and with a distinctive sigh came the irritated words, "Not anything he didn't deserve."

"Not what I asked," Maka shot back quickly.

There was a growl followed by a grunt and for a second she was almost sure he would refuse to answer when he snapped back at her, "I tossed him to the ground. Told him to get over himself."

Oddly there was no relief in knowing the truth, just a sad sigh leaving her lips. "Don't do that."

"Maka-"

"I don't need you to protect me like that," she clapped each word over her name.

"Look, Soul would have-"

"You're not Soul." The weight of that hit her in the gut and with the sound behind her she was sure Black Star shared in the pain. "And I would be yelling at him just like I'm doing to you now. I didn't tell either of you for a good reason. I don't need either of you to save me from this, it's done and there's no undoing it. The aftermath is something I carry and something only I can fight." Maka barely turned her head, making sure he could see the determination on her face without actually catching a glimpse of him. "I would tell Soul just to support me, and I'll tell you to do what you do best - make me laugh through it."

"Laugh?" drifted confused from his lips.

"Anger doesn't suit you," Maka shook her head as she brought her eyes back to the woods. "You've always laughed in the face of anger, sadness, hate. You make a joke out of it. Don't try to do it differently because it's what I actually like about you."

He sighed uselessly because the pressure didn't drift out of his chest as he stared at the back of that blond head. "I don't think this one's very funny."

"It's not," Maka shrugged. "But I'm telling you to let it go. If I have to order you as your princess, I will, but I think I'm asking you as a friend first." She released the pack and shoved it behind her. "Here, new clothes for you."

There were a few last splashes before his footsteps crushed the stones behind her and the shuffle of the leather started. Black Star's silence was broken by a soft laugh. "You know, it's your own damn fault."

"What is?" Maka asked innocently.

"Never should have tried to bring up my damn feelings," he shot the accusation at her but let it drift into a laugh. "Joking feels a little harder now."

"Doesn't mean it's impossible," Maka risked a glance at him, happy to find he was mostly dressed beside his shoes. "Maybe you just tipped a little too far one way. Though, I imagine if the girls saw you like this…"

"Shut up," he snorted a laugh. "You're the first and the last, Maka."

She shook her head quickly, "No. I don't think so. Being vulnerable with me didn't kill you. It won't when you do it again. Just… take it slow."

"Do I ever take anything slow?" He grinned as he grabbed his boots and sat down next to her.

"Not once," Maka shook her head but still managed a smile. "So when we get back to the castle you'll talk to Tsubaki then?"

Surely this was the first time since they'd met that his cheeks turned red from something other than laughter. "Don't bring her up!"

"I guessed right," Maka smirked.

"You guessed _nothing_ ," Black Star tried to blanch his cheeks but even in the aftermath of the chilly water, his face was starting to burn.

"You made the mistake of saying you _tried_ with her-"

"I don't chase after women," he attempted to huff but the way that only fed the smile on her face made him feel the defeat. "I told you, she's too prudish for me."

Maka rolled her eyes but still kept the mirth on her lips. "She's _not._ Just wary of you since we both know you have a reputation."

While there was no denying the accusation the incredulity still came to his voice, "You were talking about me?" He tried to cover the anxiety by concentrating on settling his boots perfectly on his feet.

"A few times," Maka added innocently.

"Now, listen here, princess-" He started but stopped almost instantly because what did he have to admonish her for? His brain was still scrambling for anger but could only grumble out, "About what?"

"Can't betray trusts," Maka tried to deliver that pertly but the gaiety refused to leave her voice. "I will say my suggestion stands. If you _talked_ to her…"

Black Star scoffed, "I've talked to her plenty."

"Yes, about getting under her skirt," she shot back plainly. "So don't chase since you said you don't chase women anyway. Be you, like you are with me and Soul, like you were this morning with Crona. Be that."

* * *

The guilt was to blame for this dream again, but what Stein was exactly culpable for he had never managed to suss out.

_He was rushing through the streets, a letter in his hand that was more of an afterthought scrap brought by a messenger from three towns over. Stein assumed that his name being thrown around in a jail was nothing new but somehow Spirit, in his infinite charm, had finagled a message begging for his help. Getting Spirit out of jail hadn't taken more than a written summons from Marie but that wasn't the source of Stein's growing displeasure. It wasn't the act of having to come all this distance either. It was something chewing, gnawing at his bones and only finally exploded to his mind when he set sights on the sadly grinning redhead. "Where's Maka?"_

_That should have been a shameful question but Spirit gave him a shrug, "At home. She's fine."_

_Fine. As Stein escorted him back to the house he was running the math, counting the years and erasing the possibility that 'fine' was the truth. An eight-year-old left on her own? Fine? It seemed impossible and while rage very rarely created a scene on his face, Stein was afraid it was broiling there and threatening to pull at the edges of his foxish grin. But it wasn't rage that washed over him as he opened the door and saw Maka just as described. She was washed, clothed, food boiling in the pot over the stove though he imagined the stores must have not been so well stocked since the broth was an anemic color with very little floating in it. To all in view, this might have been fine._

_What wasn't was the way she turned to look at her father, no surprise, no concern, just a hollow acknowledgment as she turned her attention to Stein. "Who are you?"_

_At that point, though they weren't all that far apart in distance, Stein had probably not seen her since she was something closer to a toddler, when Yaara was still at least part of the house though, in his opinion, still barely a mother. Except was he really one to have an opinion on this? "Franken Stein. An old friend of your father's."_

_That seemed to be more information than she asked for and she turned her head back to her business but still let her voice come cold and stoney over her shoulder. "If you're going to drink, go out back."_

_Spirit seemed to follow it as an order and regardless of the way he beckoned Stein along he was too struck to move. This was a terrible fine._

Stein awoke from it, the nightmare of a memory that had repeated over the last few weeks, with a heavy sigh. "Will you forgive him?" Stein asked the room since Maka was far from available for absolution. "Will you forgive me for sending you back to him?"

He sighed as the answer his mind gave him was that strange mirage again, the young blond girl standing in the middle of his room. The first time he'd seen her he was sure it was Maka, another whisper of that painful memory, but the more he saw it the less he was sure and the more he was convinced that the figure wasn't holding a tight, painful frown but a sick, wicked smile.


	33. Chapter 33

Three weeks had brought no new words between Maka and Spirit besides the simple pleasantries. While it seemed like Spirit had taken Black Star's advice, he was starting to believe that it wasn't going to do much of any good since Maka was set like stone. Since she'd set him straight, Black Star had honestly tried to stay out of it, but as they awoke that morning, he decided to throw fuel on the fire. "I think I'm going to take Crona out with me today. Maybe hunting."

Maka's eyebrows furrowed as if he had spoken another language. "I'm sorry, _what?_ "

"Me, Crona, out. Bonding. Manly shit. Whatever you want to call it."

"In what demented corner of your little mind does that sound like a good idea?" She was up from the bench at her desk and walking to his side of the bed to tower over him as if that was at all threatening.

Black Star made sure to slip from sitting as soon as she got too close, getting out of reach of that hand that was quite often itching to strike him over the head in these moments. " _You_ told me to be nice to them. I think I have and taking them out of being in the middle of you and Spirit is a _gift_. I believe what I should be hearing out of your mouth is ' _thank you for being so considerate, Black Star. You're a treasure, a-_ "

"Idiot," she snapped but the thin line of her frown faltered.

 _Ask for help, princess, because if you don't…_ Black Star raised his eyebrows as he waited for the request to keep her buffer intact but as the frown stayed true he sighed. "I'm taking them. We'll be gone for most of the day. Stay out of trouble. Got to get something good for the dinner table, anyway. Those babies need it."

The curve was no longer debatable and while he'd heard Maka whisper assurances more than once that she was _maybe_ halfway, Black Star was sure there was no _maybe_ about it. That comment brought a quick sigh along with her now signature move of smoothing a hand over her stomach. "Fine. Just don't be gone _all_ day."

"Is that an order?" He smirked as he narrowly missed her fist coming for him by opening the door and slipping quickly into the hallway. His chuckles didn't drown out her stomping after him and Black Star found himself rushing to get into the kitchen and see if he couldn't make a quick getaway with Crona. He was blessed to find his prize already standing in the front doorway. "Let's go, Crona!"

"Where are we going?" They looked as if they were about to slam the door shut rather than allow themselves to be pushed out into the street, but a little of the timidness has started to wane.

"Out to get Maka some nice things," Black Star offered slyly, knowing the incentive of pleasing Maka was an easy way to tip the scales.

"Oh," Crona half-smiled, that anxiety still keeping it wobbly. "Oh, OK, you and me?"

"You and me," Black Star nodded as he reached them in the doorway and planted two strong hands on their shoulders. "Right now. Bye, Maka!"

"Crona, don't let him-" but any warning Maka could give was cut off by the slam of the door. A forlorn sigh broke from her lips as she grabbed the teapot off of the counter and began filling the sachet with tea leaves. She ladled the water that had been left to warm over the fire onto the leaves and watched as they floated and drifted apart. _I know what he's doing, that idiot. But I guess it's not technically him getting in the middle._ The teapot felt the brunt of her anger, clattering against its lid as she slammed it to the table. As she grabbed a cup she heard the footsteps in the hall and hesitated before taking a second cup and putting it across from her.

"Oh," Spirit searched the room before his eyes settled on her again. "Where's the other two?"

"Out," Maka offered with a sigh.

Spirit debated the arrangement before noticing the second cup, using it as an allowance to sit across from her. "Together?"

"Together," she echoed.

"Interesting…" Their eyes met before Maka brought them back to the teapot, staring intently as she poured the amber liquid in her cup and then his. "Doing anything special?"

"Black Star said hunting, but who knows with him." Maka set the teapot back down gentler this time as she eyed her finger while it played with the lip of the cup.

Spirit chuckled, "Crona hunting might be an interesting spectacle."

Maka let a wan smile flutter across her lips in reply.

"How are you feeling?" he tried next as his hands clasped around the cup, stealing warmth in the face of his daughter's icy walls.

"I don't know," she answered honestly before she brought her eyes to his. That was something she'd inherited from him, those glowing green eyes, and every time she looked at them now it felt like the last reminder that this was actually her father since the love that she wanted to have for him was gone. Realistically, it hadn't actually disappeared, just covered under grime, age, and a thin veneer of disappointment. "I'm tired. They move around a lot, almost constantly, and…" As if calling it forth there was another kick, definitely becoming more pronounced from the flutters of weeks ago. "Kicking now. So much kicking."

Spirit sucked in air before clearing his throat. "Your mother said the same thing. You were always on the move. Kept her awake most nights."

For a horrible moment, Maka thought she'd sob, barely keeping it at bay by digging her nails into the cup and forcing a breath. "That's normal?"

"I think so," Spirit was about to shrug but saw the fear reflecting in her eyes, the glossy sheen that was starting to take over. "At least it was for your mother, and if it was for her, why wouldn't it be for you?"

Maka pressed a hand to her brow, forcing it down over her eyes to wipe away the rest of the urge.

"What is it?" Spirit knew he was testing the boundary but this was the first time she'd produced more than just a sentence or two for him.

The hand drifted down to her mouth before she let it fall completely. "No, it's nothing, just… I've never had a baby before, let alone two," a short, bitter laugh closed that sentence.

"You'll do fine," Spirit offered quietly. "It's not something you're ever prepared for, but you learn, and you were always a quick learner."

Maka's eyes focused on her cup as her fingers tapped the side to disturb the surface of the liquid. _This is where we should stop. A sweet last word before any of it gets ruined_. She tried to settle into the silence, the only sound her fingernails against the cup and the click of Spirit picking up his own to drink. Instead, she felt a strange tug at her heart until she produced something else to say. "Did you finish all that Stein sent you?"

"You mean the novel he wrote?" Spirit chuckled.

"It was a lot," Maka nodded commiseratingly.

"Mostly, but I think I should ask you something." Spirit was still smiling, even if his voice was drifting off into thoughtful tones.

"Me?" Maka hesitated, keeping the smile that wanted to reflect on her face at bay.

His smile slipped away as his jaw worked over the words before he gave them, "He wants me to ask Crona about that picture."

"What picture?" Maka's brow furrowed.

"The one that Soul drew," Spirit was offering bit by bit, watching as the confusion continued on her face. "The one of Medusa."

That defensive layer was back and even if it was an order from Stein, Maka found herself balking. "Why?"

Spirit sighed, "It's a little bit too much of a coincidence that Crona infects Soul with the black blood just to send him back home to a physician who dabbles in the black blood to take care of him. Stein thinks maybe Crona _knows_ her, has something to do with her."

 _No,_ the blissfully ignorant word wanted to tremble off her lips but she knew better. _It can't be a coincidence. Crona wasn't even from here, we know that much, but what will corroboration do? A connection between the two just means Crona is guilty all over again, doesn't it?_ "Why do we even need to know that?" The stupidity of the words hit her and she instantly flicked a dismissive hand with a sigh. "I know, I know, just… if you do that, promise me you're going to be gentle with them. I still don't think Crona even knows _why_ they hurt Soul other than what that sword urged them to do."

"Well…" Spirit let a slow shrug roll through his shoulders. "Maybe it'll just be something we know. If your… _husband_ is off killing Medusa anyway, maybe it won't make an ounce of difference, but if there's a chance that Crona knows something about her that we don't, something that could get rid of her, then that is something we need to know."

Even in the midst of the slow step forward, Maka let that raw sting take her. "Could you use his name, please? You know who he is."

"I know," and while Spirit was ready to take the scraping step back as well he bit it on the edge of his tongue. "I'm sorry. Soul. You just… it takes getting used to. Wasn't exactly expecting you'd get married any time soon, not after-" That bitterness he barely held back and let it drift out as a sigh instead.

"We're nothing like you and Mama." Maka wanted that with all her might to come back as biting, to be some kind of attack but it barely eked out as a soft whisper.

"Good," Spirit said decidedly. "I'm glad you grew up to be like neither of us." His fingers unfurled from the cup and as if that was the last thing to tether him to the table he was out of his seat. "Thanks for the tea."

"Papa," Maka called after him, catching him just the step before the hallway. Spirit stopped and turned glum eyes to her as he paused. "I'm not like her? Not at all?"

"No," he answered back quickly.

Maka's eyebrows furrowed as she searched for the words, finding the only one she could give barely enough, "Why?"

"Maka," he sighed as he let his eyes turn back to the hallway but his steps didn't continue. "You're strong like her," that admission seemed to come begrudgingly but the rest sailed smoothly from his lips, "but you got far too much heart to be anything like her." Before she could even call for him again, Spirit was gone, the sound of the backdoor the only thing to echo back to her.

* * *

Black Star sent Crona home on the fifth failed attempt to kill something. Apparently, all creatures were too precious. At least he should find some weak comfort in the fact that Maka had been correct, he was utterly harmless and hence, for this trip, useless. Alone, Black Star faired better, a few rabbits in traps he left earlier in the morning and one young buck that had been stupid enough to wander too close to where he'd laid in wait since Crona has left. By the time he was trekking back, the light was almost dwindled out to nothing and he was sure that all he would get when he got home was an earful. _She's not even my wife and I think I've gotten more nagging than Soul ever has._

With the deer over his shoulders and the rabbits hanging from his belt to thump against his legs, Black Star started home. It was a quick waft on the wind as he got close to the house and half his mind was telling him that the smoke was probably from their own hearth, but Black Star couldn't help the way his hackles raised. Paranoia had never done him wrong before so he let his eyes go sharp, looking along the road and, as he moved closer, the outside of the house. He didn't bother with the front door, moving to the stable to hang the carcasses out of view of the softer inhabitants.

Unencumbered, Black Star started the slow slinking around the exterior, kneeling and probing when something caught his eye. It wasn't just something either but something _s_ and his mind began to run careful calculations before he heard the back door open and quickly jogged back.

"There you are," Maka scolded. "What the hell-"

"Get back in the house," he said in a low whisper as his eyes still trailed along the yard. If he had the ability to think of anything else he might have been pleased with the way she didn't offer an argument, just followed orders and better yet, he heard the lock latch in place. He went back to the stables and did a better job of stowing the meat, taking just one rabbit with him as he walked back to the front of the house.

Maka had smartly brought them all together and Black Star did manage a quick smile as he came through the door, "Something for the pot." He offered her the skinned and gutted meat. "Sorry, Crona," he bookended quickly and was happy to see the smile that it brought to Maka's face that continued to deaden the cringe on Crona's.

"What's going on outside?" Spirit butted in quickly as he came behind Black Star to bar the door.

"Someone's been snooping around," Black Star lowered his voice as he took a seat. "Some footprints, probably all the same person. There's a fire somewhere out in the woods, can get it on the breeze every now and then but not too close. Lots of traffic at the windows, especially yours," he threw a nod at Maka.

"But nothing's out of place, missing, or worse?" Maka's back was to him as she fiddled with the pot but he didn't like the way her voice seemed completely unaffected.

"Not yet," Black Star laughed sharply. "Are we just going to wait for it?"

"What do you suggest?" Maka tossed her head over her shoulder, sending him a flippant glare.

"I go out there tonight and ki-" He paused, throwing a glance at Crona. "See what it is."

The glare became a frown, "By yourself."

"By myself," he repeated.

"No," Maka came back instantly.

"Funny that you think you're in charge," Black Star gritted through a barely placating smile.

Maka remained unphased, blinking at him as she turned and crossed her arms in front of her. "Because if you're not successful, what happens?"

"You avenge me," he replied through laughter. "I'm never _not_ successful, Maka."

"No," she repeated flatly.

"Then?" Black Star shot back with little patience.

"It's me they want. Let's draw them in."

"Absolutely not," Spirit was quick to snap back and Black Star used the opportunity to wave a hand of acquiescence in his direction.

"It's funny that you think _him_ agreeing with you makes your argument any stronger," Maka hissed.

"Why don't we just stay here?" Crona squeaked as they clutched a hand in Maka's gown and gave it a tug. "Neither of you should be putting yourselves in danger. Not with your babies, Maka, and not with you being responsible for Maka, Black Star."

"And if it's more than just snooping, four against one is much better odds," Spirit added.

"Isn't that still technically drawing them in?" The words were sour from Maka's lips but she gave up on the attitude as she slumped back into her seat.

"I get it, you're tired of hiding," Spirit started but Black Star's grimace in his direction almost derailed him. Instead, he dared to continue. "But Crona's right. The babies are what's most important right now. Not how restless you feel."

While her face instantly registered the biting reply that was working over in her mind, Maka let her hands drift over the growing curve of her belly and, on cue, the little ones kicked their agreement. She forced the anger to stutter to a stop with a long, slow breath. "I guess I'm really outnumbered."

"Ew, are they doing it again?" Black Star's grimace easily drooped to disgust.

She rolled her eyes but still finished with a laugh, "Yes."

"Doing what?" Crona was watching Maka's hand intently.

"Kicking," Maka laughed softly again. "If you want to touch, you can."

"It's gross," Black Star shook his head swiftly at Crona.

"Well…" Crona looked between the two, their hand hovering hesitantly over the globe.

"Don't listen to him," she murmured softly and pressed their hand down.

There was a squirm to Crona's smile, a wiggle at the corner of their lips. "It's weird."

"Alright," Maka sighed as she released his hand. "Both of you are just lucky it's not _you_ who has to carry the babies. Imagine what it feels _inside_ rather than just under your hand."

"Can I?" Spirit wasn't in any way close enough and hadn't even bothered to hover out of his seat, his expectations still settling low.

"Oh," Maka stared at him as a slow breath crept across her lips. "Um, sure, Papa. Hurry, though, I don't know how much longer they'll be going."

Even with the suggestion, it was a slow move to her side, his hand tentatively hovering just like Crona's before he planted it gently against her stomach. Maka's warning had been useless anyway, the twins fluttering around on their own accord without any consideration for their mother's insides. Spirit chuckled softly. "Yeah, just like you. Definitely."

"Really?" Maka let the tips of her fingers meet his just as her eyes looked up at him expectantly.

"Told you, your mother said you were relentless. They're just going to be spitting images of their mother, I guess," Spirit answered with a soft smile.

"Great," Black Star scoffed. "Like we need two more Makas."

"Hey," father and daughter chided at the same time, allowing them both to drift off into a laugh.

Black Star watched the two of them, letting them have an extra minute before he stood. "Maka, talk to you for a second."

Maka narrowed her eyes at him but stood anyway, walking back towards the bedroom. As soon as they were through the door she closed it with a sigh. "You already got your way. I'm not going to sneak out and try anything, so why the secrecy?"

Black Star fiddled with his frown for a moment before letting out a sigh. "Ideas for who it is."

"Why would we have to have this conversation without the two of them?" Maka jumped quickly back on topic, refusing to let him have his way.

"Because I don't think it's a witch," Black Star dropped succinctly, "and I'm wondering who _Papa_ might have pissed off. I know it's been a while, but you remember who doesn't like him?"

Maka sighed as her lips pulled tightly together to barely eke out the words. "And you don't think Spirit would be honest about this?"

"I'll go out there and ask him if you want," Black Star waved an arm but still forced his voice low, refusing to make this a show. "But the two of you were having a nice little moment and the last thing I want to do is throw shit in paradise."

"It's not paradise," she snapped quickly.

Black Star planted a soft hand on her shoulder as he raised his eyebrows at her. "It wasn't too bad, though, was it?"

"Just shut up," she murmured as she pressed a hand to her brow. He didn't push and just watched her massage her fingers there for a moment before she whispered. "He never had debtors or anything. A few drinking buddies but… for all the unhappiness, everyone around us was always happy."

"And no one knows Crona is here?"

"No one knows Crona exists," Maka shrugged helplessly. "So if it's not a witch, not someone after one of them, who is it?"

"Someone after us," Black Star offered lamely. "Look, you get some rest. Those kids'll keep you up half the night so you might as well start now. I'll send Crona in to be your bedtime buddy tonight."

"What are you going to do?" she asked skeptically.

"Don't worry, not going against orders," he sighed. "I'm going to stay awake. See if I can't at least get a glimpse to get a general idea of what's scouring around the house."

Without hesitation she walked over to him and grabbed him by the face, smacking each cheek in the process. " _Do not_ go out there or I will kill you myself."

"Oh, fuck off," he grumbled as he slapped away her hands. "Who the fuck do you think you are, grabbing me by the face like that." Black Star continued to pepper curses about as he wiped at his cheeks to get rid of the residue of her touch before turning with a huff. "Like I fucking care-"

"Get over it," she threw the nearest thing at him, a pillow off the bed, and laughed as he let it renew the trail of profanities. He left her with a quick grin and heard him crowing to Crona and even though it was just a moment by herself, it was in those absences that she had no control over the feeling. _I wish Soul was here. I wish this house had one more in it and it was him laughing with us, living with us, staying alive with us. Because… where is he? What is he doing right now? Is he happy or sad or thinking good things or bad?_ But as Crona rounded the corner, coming into the room with a quivering smile, Maka pressed it quickly away again.


	34. Chapter 34

It was about four in the morning with absolutely not a moment of stirring in the yard when Spirit watched Black Star's chin take a final resting dip onto his chest. Spirit knew there hadn't been a point in trying to convince him to back off, that nothing would happen, so he instead bided his time. He waited a few more minutes, watching the shoulders ease and the jaw go a little slack. When Black Star's breaths began to rattle deep in his chest was when Spirit finally stood, and as soon as he saw not a second's worth of disturbance from the sound, Spirit took the rest of the slow steps to the door, unlatched it, and walked out into the darkness.

He could follow the scent of the fire but didn't need it. With bitter irony, it hit him that while she was always trying to escape him, he was the only one that could always find her. Since when you love someone, when your souls are inextricably linked, there's always a call that brings you to where they are. Another acerbic note hit him, _even infidelity doesn't change that. Even desertion._ Spirit probably should have hid his footsteps, but even if she tried to sneak away he was bound to find her so he took steady stomping steps in the brush. When he finally crashed through to the clearing she was waiting there, those doe eyes he fell in love with years ago blinking up at him.

"Spirit," Yaara offered with all the love one might give a dead rat.

"Yaara," he was only slightly sweeter, but mostly acid would drip off their tongues tonight and he wasn't about to temper it.

"I suppose I should ask how you found me," this came a little quieter as her eyes fell back to the fire she had been tending before he walked up.

"Stupid question," he murmured before dropping to the dirt next to the warmth. "I can feel you. You can feel me. It's simple, you know that."

"I don't feel you," she let her eyes narrow at the flame. "I don't consider you enough to even bother."

Spirit let out a soft sigh, "I didn't come to do this." He paused to pass a hand between him and her. "I came to ask you to leave."

"Leave?" Yaara delivered a derisive snort. "You don't have the right. I'm trying to protect my daughter-"

"You don't get to call her that." It should have been a hissing, searing scream from his throat but it came without any adornment, just the bare words from his mouth.

In the face of his calm, Yaara could only explode. "What, and you do? Stein told me you pawned her off on Marie, who then whored her out to some prince probably at the behest of Stein's scheming. And now she's pregnant with some-"

"That's why you have to leave," he cut in calmly. "You don't know her, you don't know what's happened to her or what she's going through. You're just doing what you always do and making decisions without-"

"Those babies are _sick_ ," Yaara hissed. "If there's anything you can trust that I know, it's souls. Those souls are all wrong."

"Stein told me," Spirit nodded along with her words even in the face of her shock. "He said it was a condition the father has."

"He tried to sell me the same bullshit." Yaara's hands were gripping white-knuckled into her cloak. "But who's to say what that will do to her. You'd let her die-"

Spirit sighed out roughly, his voice ticking up in volume. "Then why haven't you talked to her?" It wasn't a question but an accusation and with the power of it Spirit stood. "How long have you been following her? Weeks? Months? You've had every step of the way to stop her but you wait until she's here. You bide your time in the shadows until what? Until she's _vulnerable_ ," Spirit spat the word out like venom. "She misses her husband, she's scared for her babies, and she _hates_ me and that's what you were waiting for, wasn't it? To come swoop in and be the good mother. Well, you're _not_."

Yaara was on her feet, starting around the fire to lunge at him. "How dare you-"

"I should have told her," once again what should have been a yell simply fell flat, the wounded part of his heart not allowing it the strength. He still grabbed Yaara by the wrist, pulling her that last step closer. "I should have told her you left her. Abandoned her. But I fed her those sweet lies that you were out there, fighting, doing good and it was for a better world for her. I couldn't let her be crushed by the fact that both her parents are worthless." Yaara was trying to resist and backpedal but he yanked again, taking a step and coaxing her towards the treelines. "So you're going to come to the house now, and you're going to do whatever it is you plan to do, but you're going to face Maka while she's _strong_."

"Spirit-"

His lip quivered along with his resolve but the words still fell from his lips, "Or I'll kill you myself."

"You wouldn't."

There was no more push and pull, not a fight as Spirit's hand left hers and he turned back towards the darkness and started into the woods. _I probably can't but that blue-haired kid could probably give you a run for your money. Hell, maybe I could. Maybe that wasn't such a hollow threat, not when I think about her, about what we did to her in all our selfishness. Maybe we both deserve it._ The sound of her footsteps behind him cut off any more of the useless thoughts as he turned back to his plan instead. _I can't keep her from you, Maka, but I at least think you can stand against her like this. A few more weeks of this and you might falter._

He was at the front door when he heard her hesitate but he didn't bother to slow his steps, throwing open the door. Black Star jolted in his seat, eyes wide at Spirit. "What the hell?"

Spirit kept his voice low but the chill of speaking with Yaara was still there. "Go in and wake Maka up. Be gentle."

"For what?" Black Star croaked back but instantly those eyes went a little wider until his glare honed in behind Spirit. "Who's that?"

Spirit didn't bother to look, just sidestepped out of the doorway and allowed Yaara into the threshold. "Your snoop. Like I said, gently, please."

Black Star clenched his jaw as he stood slowly, eyes never leaving Yaara as he moved across the room to the hallway. _I don't like this. I don't trust this. I should take her and go out the backdoor. Fuck all of this and get on the horses and get her to Marie. Then back to Soul. I'm done playing house, I'm done watching her suffer._ He stuffed it back into his gut with a firm set of knuckles to his thigh before opening the bedroom door quietly. Crona was asleep, curled on their side as Maka sat up, her hands stroking at her stomach as her eyes lazily watched the moon.

"What is it?" she murmured.

Black Star moved to the bed, easing down next to her on what little space was left before he let his voice come as a whisper. "Someone's here."

Maka narrowed her eyes at him. "What?"

"Spirit said to wake you," Black Star sucked his teeth as he shook his head. "But I want to walk you right out the backdoor right now and take you the hell home. I don't like this, it doesn't feel right."

"Spirit brought someone in?" Maka shook her head softly but fantasy started to tug at her mind. "What do they look like?"

Black Star let a frown tug down the side of his lips, humor escaping him. "She looks like you."

Her lips fluttered wordlessly over a trembling breath.

"Promise me something," he said quickly, ripping her from the edge of her daydreams.

"What's that?"

Black Star gritted his teeth before urging each word independently at her. "Remember Soul. You made promises to him that you have to keep."

"Why would I…?" _Forget him?_ But the words seemed useless as Black Star was already on his feet, displaying a hand that was there to balance her out of bed. As she caught that last look before he turned, Maka let his words sink in. _I love Soul. I promised to come back. I promised to let him be the first person to see his two beautiful babies. I promised him me._ Even as she got to her feet she didn't let go of Black Star's hand, trying to pass those words through the touch. He let her lead but he didn't fall far behind, their hands still keeping them tethered as they walked into the kitchen.

"Maka," Spirit tried to start but the look on her face was already telling him it was too late, too much.

"Mama," spouted from her lips before the entirety of it hit her. Her feet tried to take another step, but Black Star held firm to her hand, keeping her just in the doorway. Maka tried to shoot him a glare, to spell out all of the ways that this moment meant everything to her and he was ruining it when their eyes met, when she felt the entire force of his soul yelling it right back at her.

_Remember Soul._

Maka turned her eyes back to Yaara slowly.

"Hello, darling," Yaara cooed. "Is that your husband?"

"You know it's not," Black Star shot back before the question finished.

"Then I wonder at how possessive this all looks," Yaara offered a gentle laugh. "Why you won't let her greet her mother who hasn't been able to see her in over ten years." She took a step forward but Spirit's arm instantly halted her. "A room full of possessive men."

"Tell her," Spirit muttered.

"Tell her what?" Yaara turned to him with every last ounce of innocence in her face. "Tell her that I missed her? That I'm sorry her father couldn't take care of her like I thought he could? Or that-"

Spirit grabbed the front of her cloak, jutting her forward. Maka pulled against Black Star but he held her tight. "Tell her what you came here for."

"To make sure she isn't hurt," Yaara insisted but his grip didn't falter and he produced her a step towards Maka. "Your father seems to think-"

"You've been sneaking around the house," Black Star offered cooly. "Haven't you?"

"Why am I being interrogated?" A sweet smile crossed Yaara's lips as she attempted to untangle Spirit's hand from her cloak. "I followed you two, but it was to protect you, to make sure that witch didn't come after you. Medusa and Stein fought, she almost killed him."

"What?" Maka's voice finally sputtered to life. "Stein? Is he alright?"

Black Star caught the moment of sourness on Yaara's features before she answered. "Fine. He lived. He took that witch you recruited back to the castle."

"Witch?" Maka glanced back at Black Star who had nothing to offer her but her own confusion reflected.

"I think her name was Kim," Yaara shrugged. "I've always been taught that you only murder witches, but Stein always has his own plans."

Black Star shook his head, "Kim? A fucking witch?" His tongue snapped hard against the roof of his mouth. "Maka, come on."

"Mama," the confusion along with the tears was swimming in her head and she desperately brought her hand to her hair to try to hold it all together. "I don't understand. You've been… gone. Gone and _now_ you come home? I don't…"

"I've tried, darling…" Yaara ripped herself out of Spirit's grasp to get within arm's reach of her daughter. "It just hasn't been possible, but now with this mess with the babies."

Maka felt that growling urge between their fingers again and didn't need Black Star's hand tensing on hers to clearly spell the resistance. "Mama, there's no mess." It was a fight with her chest to let that out just above a whisper, even though it should be scathing. _Why now?_ was blaring in her head instead, stealing her breath for that mental scream.

"I didn't mean it that way," Yaara came back gently. "I just meant that you're probably… so frightened right now, so unsure. And I should have been there before for that." Black Star's fingers flexed against Maka's as Yaara reached a hand out, touching Maka's cheek.

"You should have," Maka echoed weakly. The touch overwhelmed her like a flood, feeling that old buzz of her mother's soul through her fingertips. The tears broke over her lids and she took a step forward, bringing herself into Yaara's waiting arms.

Black Star took the step with her, afraid she might tear apart their hands to join completely with her mother but Maka held so tightly that the blood cut from his fingers.

* * *

Stein had wandered onto the field after hearing the commotion from halls and was in no way disappointed by the show. Free was literally tossing the men aside, flinging through each new recruit like they were flies. Kim was sitting by helping with the more far-flung soldiers but for the most part, exchanging laughs with Soul at the festivities. While that sight brought the two of them joy, as Kim fixed her eyes on Stein, she instantly went to nudging Soul. "Look at him," she murmured.

Soul did as he was told and found a sigh quickly hitting his lips. _He looks just as sleepless as me. Free was right, then._ He turned his eyes back to Kim and nodded. "Got it."

"You better," Kim hissed back just before Stein reached them.

"And what is he calling this exercise today?" Stein asked Soul with dry amusement.

"Well, the recruits are calling it 'try not to get your skull cracked open,'" Kim muttered as she threw a hand towards a few bandaged heads.

Soul shrugged, "It's mostly harmless."

"And good real life application," Stein quickly agreed as he settled down next to Soul. "You're not sparring?"

He let loose a laugh as he shook his head, "I'd like to keep my skull intact."

"But your black blood powers, you haven't tried anything with them?"

That started the pinprick of worry in his gut, the sweat tingling in his palms. "Without Maka, I'm not sure I should."

Stein's glare was nothing short of analytical and Soul felt picked apart underneath it. "She opened the door for you to control it. Between that and the potions you should have the stability."

" _Should_ ," Soul sighed.

"There's a difference between caution and cowardice." Stein's voice was cold and concise, turning the pinprick to a wave.

Soul hesitated, watching the seafoam eyes refusing him an ounce of mercy. "Maybe… you and me…"

"Acceptable challenge," Stein grinned.

Soul swallowed but the lump in his throat refused to move. "Now?"

Stein raised his eyebrows playfully as he threatened to stand. "When else?"

"Soul," Kim hissed at him but Soul was already following Stein to his feet.

Stein steps picked up with a strange enthusiasm and the stone started to settle in Soul's stomach. As memory served him, which at this point now it mostly did, there were only vivid memories of painful beatings from Stein. There was a reason why he was Marie's captain of the guard and why Black Star had made the insistence that they travel to visit him. _Not to mention I'm still out of practice, and still half a coward_.

"Swords?" Stein threw playfully over his shoulder.

"I guess…" Soul let Stein pick, let him toss the weapon his way before sending doubtful eyes his way. It didn't help that none of that amusement left Stein, the high of playing and toying shining in his eyes.

It started easily enough, making it instantly obvious that Stein was settling into mediocrity by barely breaking a sweat in reply to strikes and parries that weren't much more than Soul could offer almost a decade ago. A playful but still furious growl from Free's direction broke Soul's attention and as his eyes snapped to the side his arm erupted in pain. Stein had slashed him during his distraction, the cut starting the ooze of black blood down his arm. "Stein!" Soul hissed.

"You're not pushing yourself," Stein answered back calmly, never even for a moment letting the fear of injuring a crowned prince sway his judgment on this. "Remember that the blood is yours, it should listen to you just like it did for the one who attacked you."

 _Crona._ The name and the way Maka had whimpered it in her sleep echoed in his mind. He stared at the droplets, but before he could form a thought Stein was on him again, no longer keeping a steady pace. The press was on, the steady shriek of metal against metal filling the yard as Stein refused to relent, striking once after another. "Stein…" Maybe that was somewhere close to a breathless grunt, maybe even a beg since Soul was stumbling backward, pushed into the dust with a hit that clattered the sword from his hand. "Stein!"

Soul should have recognized the look in Stein's eyes, the lack of sense that he'd experienced himself, but he was too busy watching the sword swing downwards again without anything in its path but the bleeding arm he'd put up to shield himself. Kim was screaming in the background, bringing any other noise from Free and the recruits to a stuttering halt. It was agony, the slow fall of the blade, but in the midst of all the panic Soul brought Maka back to his mind, all the promises. _Letting this fear swallow me whole means that she loses everything. She'll be left alone. Abandoned again._ "Fuck that," came quickly under his breath, and just as the sword hit the flesh it stopped.

Instead of the ripping of sinew and the crack of bone, the fine, high call of fracturing metal tinkled between them. The sword has struck the black on his skin and it had left a fissure right down the blade leaving it crumbling into Soul's lap instead of splitting him in two. That sick smile was still plastered on Stein's face until Kim's second scream brought him back from the haze. "Lord Stein!" Kim was on top of him, pulling back the now blunted, useless piece of metal. She could feel him trembling in her hands but he quickly shook her off.

"You did it," Stein let a weaker smile hit his lips.

"What?" Soul looked down at his arm to find only the old cut that was starting to fuse together. _All I did was think of her, think of how much I couldn't leave her and… what?_

Stein paused, adding breath to his lungs and crouching next to Soul as if he was spent. "Skin shouldn't stop a blade let alone break it, but Maka had the same problem with your predecessor. Skin like stone, and all you had to do was…?"

"Think that I needed to stop it," Soul whispered to him.

"Soul," Kim hissed again, bringing him back to the memory of the look in Stein's eye.

Soul leaned closer, making sure it didn't come off his lips as an accusation but a fact, "But you were going to strike me."

A coolness washed over those pale green eyes and Stein remained motionless except for his lips. "I was. You would not have acted without real danger."

"Could you guarantee I was going to be able to do whatever the hell I did?" It wasn't necessarily anger starting in his chest but a slow creeping worry. Loyalty wasn't a question, but sanity was.

"No," Stein answered quickly with a shrug. "I suppose I wasn't worried about that at the time."

"Because you weren't all there," Free blundered into the conversation, his face closer to Stein than Soul had ever seen anyone get. No one had the nerve but Free seemed unaffected.

"Perhaps," Stein allowed the proximity for only another second before planting a hand on Free's shoulder and pressing him back.

"No perhaps," Free grinned back before turning that smirk towards Soul. "You both smell weird. Told you, Soul. Something's up. Something's not right."

"Of course trouble's right around the corner," Kim sighed as she slumped down next to Soul. She was just about to reach for his arm when Soul stopped her.

"Don't," Soul warned but gave a soft smile to try to ease the tension that instantly hit Kim's face. "It'll close on its own." He turned his attention back to Free before shaking his head, "But you still smell it? That weird thing from my room?"

"Yup, and it's on him, too," Free offered after another sniff in Stein's direction.

Stein grimaced, "What's the smell?"

Soul sighed deeply before rolling his eyes at the insanity of it all, "I've been seeing a little girl at night. She kind of looks like Maka, and I thought maybe-"

"It isn't," Stein said quickly. "That little girl isn't her. No matter how much we're both supposed to think or want it to be."

"You sure?" Soul shot back as he leaned closer to Stein. "She could be-"

"I'm sure she wants to," Stein tried to let a modicum of soothing hit his voice. "I'm sure if she could find a way to talk to us, she would, but I don't think that's possible."

"But our soul resonance and the blood," Soul was spewing hopeful thoughts. "Doesn't that connection mean that maybe, just maybe-"

Again, Stein forced as quick a squashing as he could, "Then she would not come to me. She's only connected to you. It's another part of a game, meaning that someone is toying with us."

"Fuck," Soul muttered.

"Or fun!" Free struck Soul in the shoulder, jutting him forward with jovial enthusiasm. "Could see how those new moves work out against real competition!"

 _Mad Stein is real competition,_ Soul wanted to let out in a withering mutter but he just stared at Free with an unenthusiastic grimace. "Whatever it is, I want to get it over with. She's… she's only three weeks away from going to Marie's," he barely let it out, breathless from the thought alone. _Which means if I could leave in a week, I'd be there to meet her. I'd give anything to be there._


	35. Chapter 35

That night had been the last time Spirit allowed Yaara in the house. Instead, Maka would wake each morning and brew a pot of tea to bring out into the backyard and she and Yaara would sit and talk. Maka realized quickly that talking with Yaara mostly meant listening, interjecting only when asked or, as it often felt, allowed. It was strange to find herself so heavy with child but still being treated like one, but her mother's words were honeyed and trickled into an empty spot that she hadn't noticed before.

Both Spirit and Black Star stayed far away during those moments though Maka could feel them skulking around the periphery. Black Star's soul was mostly a loud yell wherever it went and it always blared somewhere close enough that he could catch sight of her in a minute. Spirit was another thing entirely, sitting solemnly in the kitchen any time Yaara was nearby and barely offering a word to Maka. The disorientation of having one voice so strong while the other fell silent tugged at her mind. More often than not, when her mind did wander as Yaara's tales went on, Maka found herself wondering what Papa would say, what he would think. It'd been a long time since her thoughts had drifted there.

She would end the day in much the same way, bringing out the meal that usually she cooked and eating in an only slightly broken silence. Yaara seemed quieter at night and Maka forced, even though she knew it should not feel forced, stories of her steps before coming back home. Talking about Soul always brought that tightness to her throat, but she found with each recollection of his name, the babies would flutter in reply, easing that terrible wave of loneliness. "Soul was… still very sick when I first came for the contest but somehow, even with all the problems with his memory, he said he felt like he knew me." It was supposed to be a romantic gush, since breaking that spell with her touch was just that, but Maka let it warble with the melancholy of missing him.

"What was he sick with?" Yaara's interest seemed piqued especially as she offered no bridges to other stories of her own, just the question, simple and short.

The pinprick of tears hit her eyes and Maka bit her lip to force them back. After a breath, she smiled sadly at her mother, "He was cursed by a witch. It was supposed to be me but he protected me."

"Then you should have been able to dispel it," Yaara replied with an easy roll of her shoulders. "I know you inherited that much from me."

Maka shook her head softly, her forehead wrinkling in thought, "It's more than that, I guess. It's in his blood and his soul, so I can calm it, ease his worst moments, but overall… I've only been successful in resonating with him and-"

"Resonating?" Yaara snapped. "You mean you did that? By yourself? With that boy?"

"Yes," Maka answered tentatively, trying to read the undulation on her mother's face. _It looks like rage. Definitely confusion but fury at the idea that the two of us would be that close._

"Maka…" Yaara shook her head quickly and to Maka it reeked of disappointment. "To think that you risked yourself, your soul, to bond with, well… he's barely human anymore, not with that curse on him."

"What?" Maka balked and mirrored her mother with the shake of her head, trying to clear what she thought she must have misheard out of her ears. "Mama, Soul is still himself. He's still-"

"Sick, that's what you said," Yaara pressed. "And now he's passed that to you through these babies. I know you see them, I know you see the warped way their souls look."

The bitterness struck Maka, tightening her jaw and her grip on her stomach. "Stein said they were fine."

"Stein lies," Yaara eased back, a sad smile coming to her face. "Stein says and does what will benefit him. He always has. Why do you think he took you in the first place? He always knew my daughter would be powerful and having her on his side, believing she was indebted to him-"

"Stop!" Maka stood as quickly as her legs would let her and for a moment she was sure she would stumble until she felt the soft hand on the small of her back. She turned her head and it was Black Star, still silent but no longer creeping, just eyeing her with mild annoyance.

Without a word, he jutted his chin back at Yaara.

Maka turned her head back, her eyes narrowing on her mother. "I wouldn't have died without Stein. I don't owe him my life, and he's never made me feel like I do. He took me, _he and Marie_ took me, and all they did was love me. That's what Stein thought I was dying without, and maybe I wasn't dying but I was going _mad_. So did he need me for some grand scheme? No. He just couldn't bear to see an eight-year-old girl who'd been abandoned by her mother and her father."

"I wanted to bring you with me, Maka," Yaara started but Maka raised her hand and batted the words out of the air.

"I don't even want to _start_ on that," Maka's voice trembled but she swallowed it down before taking a deep breath. "Because-" _I don't think that's the truth. I don't believe you_ , came furiously to her mind. "Because all I have the energy to do is tell you if you speak that way about Stein or about Soul again, I will _not_ listen. I will-" Maka gut off with a grunt, her hand clenching into her dress at her stomach.

"What is it?" Black Star's hand was no longer just a touch but a full grab at her sides, ready to hold her on her feet.

"I think they're just as angry as me," Maka replied with a gasp of a laugh. "Can you help me inside?"

"What is it?" Yaara echoed but Black Star was already putting himself between them.

"She's tired," he spat back. "There's no way in hell I'm going to carry you especially with that belly, so get going."

While she had to force the laugh it still ran away some of the chill. "I didn't say carry."

One hand planted on her hip as the other held her up by the elbow, bringing her in through the door. He was running through other options for jokes, hoping to thaw her voice even more when Spirit popped into the hallway. "Are you alright?"

"Papa-" but before Maka could even get a soft reassurance from her mouth, Spirit was pressing past her, sandwiching her protectively between Black Star. Maka turned her head, following his glare and saw Yaara starting in through the door behind them.

"I told you, you're not allowed in here," Spirit spat as he filled the hallway as best he could between them.

"Something is obviously wrong," Yaara motioned.

"Yes, you being in here," Spirit grated back as he put a firm hand on the door, letting her only halfway in.

"Those babies-"

"Are fine," Spirit hissed. With a struggle, the door clapped shut and Spirit rested his head against the wood for a moment, willing her away with more than just his words and his hands.

"Papa," it was as soft as her hand on his back.

"Are you alright?" he repeated as he turned and the breath hitched in his throat.

Maka's eyes were slightly glossy and while her smile for him looked out of practice, for a moment he could imagine her as a girl again, looking up at him with that earnest appreciation. "Fine, and… thank you."

"Just go and rest," he whispered.

She let her fingers drift down his arm before she turned back and slipped into her room. Black Star was already inside, having drawn the blinds and pulled a chair next to the window. "She's not going to break in," Maka let out an exasperated sigh.

"You don't think she's capable?" Black Star balked and the annoyance swayed into his voice as she rolled her eyes. "I think she's willing, able, and ready. And for some reason, she has a bug up her ass about Soul's babies and I'm not about to let her fuck that up."

"Our babies," Maka corrected. "I'm kind of carrying them, so give me a little credit." She made her way to the bed, easing down as she moved to her side. After pulling the other pillow down she hugged it to her chest, trying to stuff it under her stomach to ease the weight. "And you're right, she doesn't like them."

"And they don't like her, right?" Black Star pressed. "They reacted to her."

Maka sighed as she shook her head into the pillow. "I think they just reacted to me overreacting."

"You didn't _over_ react," he corrected quickly. "You just finally said what you thought with her. I was fucking happy to hear that."

She wanted to narrow her eyes, to produce something close to a scowl but she mostly pressed her face into the pillow instead, the words garbled into the fabric. "And you were listening the whole time?"

"I've listened every day," Black Star scoffed. "To all the bullshit she's spouted to try to make her sound like a hero mother back from some thankless battle. And for a second there, I was afraid you bought it."

Maka hugged tighter, feeling the burn for air from her lungs as she smothered against the pillow. When she surfaced for air she sucked in deep before turning eyes that reminded him of that first night at the house, the desperation he saw at the stable just without the tears. "You were right."

"I enjoy hearing that," he tried to crow but it was lackluster. He leaned forward a grim smile on his face. "About what?"

"Remembering Soul," she murmured. "Neither of them, no matter how much I want them to, is going to be what I want or need them to be. Soul… he's always been just what I need and it's him I want to go back to."

"Good," Black Star rushed out a breath with some relief. "But, and don't you dare yell at me for a fucking second, you see your dad trying, right? I mean, doesn't make up for his shit, but he's at least not conniving like your mother."

"Black Star," Maka cautioned but received a steady glare right back.

"That bitch is up to something," he muttered.

"Don't call her that," Maka sighed in return. "But I do want to find out what she's planning. I've just been so… wrapped up in seeing her that I didn't want to admit it but the way she talked about them today…" She let the frustration build as she held the breath in her chest and she anxiously shuffled her legs. "I'm not stupid enough to believe that Stein isn't planning something either, but… why do I trust that Stein wants what's best for everyone in the end while my mother wants what's best for _her_?"

"Because you're not stupid," Black Star chuckled.

"Thanks," she grumbled.

"And while I don't like the idea of you even talking to her again…" Black Star popped to his feet and took the few steps to the bed, easing down next to her. "Find out what she wants. Play stupid like the sucker she thinks you are for a little bit longer. We only have two weeks until we leave and being out there on the road, not knowing what she wants, well, I'd rather kill her, to be honest, but I'm fairly sure you'd never forgive me."

"You can't do that," Maka whispered as she dug nails into his arm.

"For fuck's sake, I know," he pried her hand away with a hiss. "But I'm saying, better dead than unknown. So figure it out." Black Star stood up. "Keep that blind closed. I'm going to hang around the doors for a while. I'll send Crona in."

"Actually," Maka half-murmured into the pillow, almost hoping he didn't hear her.

"What do you want now?" he grumbled.

"Send Papa in, please."

Black Star let his mouth gape for a moment before snapping it shut, clenching tongue between teeth so he didn't bray out the first thought on his mind. Instead, he ground it to dust against his tongue as he walked out the door, leaving it askew as he turned in the hallway. Spirit was easy to find, seated with his back pressed against the rear door. "She wants to talk to you."

"Thanks, errand boy," Spirit grumbled.

"Fuck you," Black Star spat as he left the hallway free for Spirit to slowly cross.

In a way, Spirit was hoping for the gentleness to be gone from her and to be received with nothing more than the cold distance he'd gotten the first few weeks. That soft look had already replayed in his head too many times and the hope of it was something he knew he had to kill. He didn't have a right to it. "Maka." It was more of an announcement of his presence, already feeling like an intruder as she lay prone on the bed.

"Come to this side, please," she waved a hand at him without looking, too sunken into the bed now to dare move.

"Something wrong?" Spirit quickened his steps to her bedside but checked himself before daring to sit on the space next to her, instead kneeling to the floor.

"Tired," Maka's shrug became more of a hug to the pillow. "And they're getting heavy. I think this is becoming my favorite position."

"Riding will be hard when you leave," he cautioned.

"Oh," Maka groaned but let it drift off into a sharp laugh. "Don't remind me."

"Could always get his royal highness to send a carriage." It was a risk, but Spirit took it, cracking half a grin at the idea.

Maka sighed through the curve of a smile, "I'd ask, but I'm afraid he'd probably come with it and I can't put him at risk, too." She let the smile slip away, her forehead wrinkling slightly. "Because it would be a risk, wouldn't it, Papa? With Mama here."

"Listen, your mother…" he started but stopped as she patted a hand as far as she could reach towards him, just touching the bedspread at the edge.

"You've never been honest with me," she murmured. "Not once. So I think you owe me to be truthful now, Papa. I know you don't know anything, she wouldn't tell you for sure, but you _think_ she'd hurt Soul, she'd hurt the babies?"

"I don't _know_ anything," Spirit echoed, "but I… wouldn't be surprised."

That was as far as she had rehearsed in her mind because she'd honestly hoped for him to continue on his trail of lies so she could shut him out again, lock that door and toss away the key. The look in his eyes told her that she was going to get what she asked for and that derailed her, sent her groping for truths that she'd long since given up on.

In the pause, Spirit lifted his hand and let his fingertips touch hers. "What else do you want to know?"

"Why?" Maka let the word crack in her throat and she had to swallow to clear it. "I can remember when we were happy and then we went to sleep one night and the next day we weren't. Why?"

"We made mistakes." It should have been a murmur but the sharp sigh that came after pushed the words between them. His hand crept forward so that his fingers just overlapped hers. "I wasn't good to your mother and the only excuse I have was that she wasn't good to me, but in the end, neither of us was good to you and that's what I hate most of all."

Maka wanted desperately to unhear the last part in order to keep herself out of the sordid history, the mucky feelings about to come. She did her best to swallow it as she offered with a shaking voice, "You were unfaithful to her."

Spirit's eyebrows shot up his forehead, "You knew?"

"When I got to Marie's… or really, a few months after, I received a letter. It was from Mama but… so venomous that I stayed in my room for a week." The memory was lapping at her, pulling her back to the darkness unless she spat the next part out like poison. "It was easy to hate you then because Mama told the truth and you always lied."

"I don't deny it," he let fall from his lips bitterly. "And you're… your hate is what I deserve."

Maka sighed at the idea as it spun in her head. "I don't like it," she murmured as she closed her eyes. "I'd prefer not to."

Spirit sat in stunned silence, only letting his fingers flex slightly.

"So, tell me why," Maka echoed herself. "Why did you do that to her? And why did that mean she had to leave me behind?"

Spirit shook his head, "I can tell you what I think but that's unfair. Your mother can't defend herself and…" That yellow cowardice crept up his spine, "I'd rather not have this argument with her."

"All I'm asking is what you think," Maka replied back quickly as she let her eyes bat back open slowly. "I can talk to her myself if I actually want any of it corroborated." _Because I'm not sure I will. Or now, really, it's not so black and white. You're both liars._

Spirit took in air that felt stale, that didn't feel like enough to shape the entirety of the past. "When you were born, we were happy." He wanted that to have some kind of weight and to create some kind of protective barrier around her. "You were all we wanted, even if you were a surprise to both of us. And when you were born, I don't think we spent a minute away from you and Yaara especially tended to your every need. But that was… as a baby, you were easy. Food, warmth, cleanliness was all you wanted. You were very clear about it too, rarely crying for no reason. The perfect baby, honestly."

He let a linger sigh hit his lips as he weighed the excuses in his mind. "We were both young but Yaara… when your mother gets frustrated she runs from whatever it is. That's always been her way and when you stopped being easy, started to have a personality and wants and needs you couldn't tell us about, Yaara struggled. So she started taking missions again." Spirit forced a pause so he could bitterly grind his teeth over it so that the words wouldn't come out as a blistered yell. "Which left you alone with me. First, it was a few days at a time. Then maybe a week or two. By the time you were five, she'd graduated to spending a month completely without us, without telling me where she was going or what she was doing."

A frustrated groan eked from his lips, "I don't want you to think that I didn't _want_ that time with you, but… I wanted my wife, too. I'm not sure you'll even understand that until your own kids come but you can't just be a parent. And when you are, when the other person isn't there mentally or physically, it takes a toll and I…" Spirit shook his head slowly, "I did what you said. Since your mother wasn't here, I found that affection somewhere else. That night that you mentioned, the one where we went to bed happy but woke up not was because while you were asleep, I admitted it, and I begged your mother to come back, to start over again."

Maka blanched as her fingers clutched into the sheet under his. "She said… she said she found out on her own, that you made excuses-"

"I made excuses," Spirit nodded, "Just like I did right now, but I told her. I was clear about what I'd done and that I wasn't proud of it and that all I wished was that she would stop for a while, try to come back and make this work."

"But she left," Maka croaked.

"And maybe it was wrong," he murmured softly as he ran trembling fingers over her knuckles, "but I lied to you so that you could at least keep loving one of us. I wanted you to feel like at least one of your parents wasn't useless."

Maka's lip trembled as she rolled her eyes to keep the tears from coming. "You weren't," she groaned, "until the drinking you weren't. You were everything to me. But when you drank you stopped being _there_. I needed you at least there."

"I'm sorry," he sighed. "I feel like that means nothing and neither does stopping but I hope… at the very least you don't let it hurt you anymore. I can't make up for it but I hope at least now you've found what you need."

"I have Soul," Maka murmured back before pulling her hand away from his to run it over her stomach. "I'll have them soon and I still have Marie and Stein, Crona, and even Black Star." She tentatively brought her hand back, letting it rest over his. "Maybe, in time, we can… work towards making memories that don't hurt. Maybe Mama can do that, too, but… I guess I'm more hopeful when it comes to the two of us since while you don't like him I'm at least fairly sure you're not out to hurt my husband."

Spirit stopped himself from clinging to the hope and kindness in her words as his attention was forced to the problem at hand. "I don't think your husband is the first concern. I think your babies…" he shook his head swiftly, "Again, this is what I _think_ , and I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think she wants you to have them."

"What?" And while it had been an inkling, a threatening thought in the back of her mind, to actually hear it sent a lightning strike to her gut and it forced her to sit up in the bed. "Get rid of them _before_ they're born?"

Spirit tightened his jaw, feeling the grind of his teeth before he released the words. "She's convinced they're hurting you, maybe killing you, so…"

"No," Maka's voice fell like a hammer. "No. I don't care if they're hurting me or if they _do_ kill me, the answer is _no_."

Spirit smiled at her softly, "It's alright. I'm not saying I agree. But you're scared of them, aren't you?"

Maka bit harshly into her lip for a moment, letting the pain clear the urge to cry. "Of course I am because I don't _know_ anything. Half of it's not knowing what being a mother is like and the other is whether or not they'll be perfect like Stein promised but… they're _ours_." That cry echoed in her heart again, _Remember Soul_. "Even if I'm scared, I won't make a decision without Soul. I won't worry about them unless he's the one worrying with me." Maka sharply turned her head towards the door. "And if you're going to snoop, at least come into the room."

Black Star opened the door, moving it from the crack it had been so he could lean in the frame. "You're yelling is freaking Crona out," he chuckled. "Was just waiting for you to be done. And while that voice of yours is annoying, I'm at least glad that bitch isn't brainwashing you."

"I told you not to call her that," Maka huffed. "And there's no brainwashing. I'm having these babies."

"Didn't expect anything else," Black Star answered with a shrug. "You done yelling though? Again, annoying, stressing Crona out."

Maka frowned mockingly at him before turning back to her father. "You said it was normal. Stein said it was fine. And while I see Mama's point, their souls having the same mark that Soul does, I'm not going to let that drag me back into worrying, but… I need to make sure that's what Mama thinks."

"How?" Both of the men echoed each other with worry and Maka sent glances both their ways before continuing.

"Talking, _alone_."


	36. Chapter 36

Soul had taken the dagger Maka had left behind under the bed, reopened the slice on his arm, and proceeded to slather his blood on the window sill. He felt utterly mad doing it and knew that if the maids even noticed it would probably culminate in the strangest rumor about him yet but the fact that his skin had stopped a blade made everything else pale in comparison. Afterward, he had urged Stein to give up his notes, every last one that he had on the black blood, and now Soul toyed with ideas, options, hypotheses because he _could_. All of it seemed possible even if a week ago he was still afraid of the nightmares.

Reading that name had also brought him back to an uncomfortable place, his mind feeding him back the way Maka had whimpered it in her sleep. _Crona_. He had to admit that his first fear at that moment had been a lover, a sweet name that was creating the wall between them that at that point had only begun to topple, rubble still littering her heart. _And now she's with him, or them and… I still feel it, don't I? Someone else is with her now, not me and… I hate it._ A dark little creature stirred in his chest and he threw himself into the bed, trying to expel it with a rough sigh.

He forced his mind away from it, concentrating on the buzz of his blood along the sill. His imagination made it an extension of him, another hand waiting out in the darkness like the one he kept at his chest with the dagger. _I need to be with her, so I need to end this,_ rang clearly in his head, a mantra deepening the tie between him and the window.

The thing wasn't Maka, not creeping up the side of the castle in a soothing show of love but for some nefarious action. Soul had decided that was the only possible entrance and he hoped that the thing, whatever it was, had settled into their complacency, sure that Soul and Stein were happy to live in the dream that Maka was visiting them. He didn't have to expend much energy on not falling asleep, his eyes creating patterns on the dark ceiling with thoughts aplenty, many full of those wisps of jealousy he'd tried to urge away. Just as that petty little voice in his mind was adding Black Star to the mix, he felt it.

There was a change in the hum to a groan, and in his excitement, Soul sprung his trap. He urged the blood to spike and while it was no grand show, more needles rather than spikes ready to impale, the soft cry that sprang out into the darkness fed his victory. Soul was up on his feet but the pins of blood hadn't kept his target still and as he made it to the window, he could see the droplets of fresh red but no quarry. Looking over the side gave him the view he wanted, a tiny figure desperate for foot and handholds, leaving smears of blood behind each grab.

Soul was out of his room in a flash, running down corridors and stairs with a concerned set of guards on his heels. It wasn't panic but exhilaration as he busted through the door he'd been looking for, sending Ox tumbling out of the chair that he'd been leaning in but barely even encouraging Free to open his eyes.

"I need your fucking nose," Soul gasped breathless but sure.

Free waved him off, turning in the sheets. "Tomorrow, prince, tomorrow."

"Now," Soul shouted but amended with, " _please_."

He sat up in the bed, eyeing the mix of need and, strangely, pride on the prince's face. "Alright, alright. I deserve something after."

"A fight won't be enough?" Soul tossed back playfully as the giant man slipped out of bed with a grin.

"Oh, you found your thing you think?"

"I know," Soul nodded. "Let's go."

Soul's running was nothing on Free's, who basically just kept a brisk walk next to the man as Soul rushed him below his window. It was there, the reek of the abnormal thing that had saturated both Stein and Soul, but with the added intensity of fresh blood. That was enough, and even though he smelled the sweetness of a child there, it was the poison he was more interested in, the fetor of taint. This thing was smart as well, bringing them to the edge of the woods, trying to mask the scent in all the millions of others but Free laughed at the challenge, letting the joy the prince was holding onto trickle into his heart as well. _This thing will be fun._

Free sussed out the smell with the ease of splitting a man in two and followed it back to the dark corridors of the castle, through the music room that miraculously still smelt of the pheromones of love, and along the guest quarters. Soul was suddenly in the lead, no longer needing Free to take the best guess and bursting into a sprint for Stein's room. He crashed through the door just in time to find the child sitting on Stein's chest, dripping a liquid into his open mouth.

"Shit," the little girl muttered with a much more ancient voice.

"Stein!" Soul ordered as he jumped for the girl, grasping the shoulder of her tattered dress to keep her from tottering off of Stein. As the other man's eyes opened he watched in a haze as Soul yanked the tiny thing off his chest.

He felt groggy, sick, and his lips and tongue were saturated with a sickly saccharine sweetness that made him gag. "What happened?"

"This little gremlin," Soul was struggling against her, finding tiny nails digging into skin and a mouth threatening to bite,"... was poisoning you. Free!"

Free lumbered in, an amused snort erupting rattling up from his chest. "Oh, something's wearing that child like a mask. It's rotting, too, that's the smell." He leaned closer for another sniff but the little thing scratched out at him and without hesitation he shot out a hand and grasped it by the neck, taking it easily from Soul's hold. "What's in here? What are you playing at?" Free inhaled again with a grin. "I get it now."

Stein was out of bed but still sitting at the side, one of his hands pressed to his temple as the dull ache started. "It's technically a child, isn't it?"

"Again, the shell is," Free nodded.

Soul tried to examine the face of it, seeing a little girl but the shadow of reptilian eyes, of a toothy grin blurred around the edges. "But it's Medusa?"

"Good guess," Free chimed. "She'll need just a few more months in this shell before she can suck enough life out of it to transform."

"So you've seen this before?" Stein raised his eyebrows in interest.

"Heard of it," Free shrugged. "Never seen it but wouldn't put it past Medusa." He grasped the little hands and crushed them in his before moving closer to the face. "Isn't that right? Will you admit it's you up to your little games?"

The little thing hissed but gave no clear words one way or another.

"Stein," Soul suddenly pulled his attention back to the obvious haze still clouding Stein's gaze. "She was dripping something in your mouth…"

"What's done is done," Stein offered with a coldness that didn't allot Soul any comfort. "I suppose we'll find out what it is unless Free can shake it out of her."

"Come on, Medusa…" Free crooned as he acquiesced and gave the tiny body a shake. "Doubt you're trying to kill him, but what are you up to?"

"You're a traitor, Free," the little thing seethed.

"Oh?" Free raised his eyebrows playfully. "I owed you a favor or two for setting me free but that's about it. Not to mention, Soul tends to be a little freer with information." He sent half a smile Soul's way before turning back to the little face. "I kind of would have liked to know that the girl you wanted me to kill was pregnant. I do have _some_ morals."

"Very few," it grimaced.

"So, we kill her?" Free tightened his hand around the thing's neck, producing a short _yack_ from the little lips.

"You said it's a shell? Like that's some kid's body?" Weight started to press on his heart and Soul couldn't stop his hands from grabbing at the little body to relieve some of the choke.

"Well, yeah…" Free shrugged.

"And the kid's soul?"

Free paused to examine the kid, his lips falling into a frown. "There, but drowned out, losing energy fast."

Stein sensed the shift and grabbed at Soul's arm, pulling him a step away from the child that wasn't. "Soul, I know you don't want to kill a child-"

"Of course I don't," Soul shot back. "So how the hell do we get rid of her?"

He sighed heavily as he settled on the idea that he knew was coming but liked the least. "Expelling a witch's magic is something Maka or her mother could do. They're the only ones I've met."

"What about Mira? Or someone at the temple?" Soul offered with little hope especially as Stein started shaking his head as soon as the words started off his lips.

"Only those two," Stein reiterated. " _Maybe_ we could catch Yaara if she's left Maka, but what you're considering is bringing the danger straight to your wife, which I believe was what we were trying to avoid."

"Do you know where she is?" Soul couldn't stop it from being a frustrated yell.

"Yaara was following Maka," Stein frowned. "I'm going to guess she's wherever Maka is."

"Can you get in touch with her?"

"Yaara?" Stein scoffed before asking with a playful laugh, "What kind of relationship do you think that we have?"

Soul sighed with exasperation, his hands falling from the little body so he could throw them in the air. "I don't know, but all of you _knew_ Yaara was alive and you let Maka believe she wasn't, so there's something there that I'm not getting."

"Which is something we'll talk about after the little trickster is gone," Stein finished resolutely. "But I assume that means you aren't going to kill her."

"That's stupid," Free said frankly.

"I'm sure it is," Soul muttered. "But if that's a child, I can't in good conscience kill it. Just… it's a physical body, right? She can't get away?" he offered the questions between the two other men, his hands still searching in the air between them like he had something to grasp.

"Yup," Free sighed. "But I know where you're going with this and I have to say, Eruka got out under your nose the last time so how are you going to guarantee this little one's not going anywhere?"

"Because you're going to guard her," Soul shot back instantly. "I don't think I trust anyone other than you, but you'll have Kilik and Ox at your disposal and whatever other men you want."

Free blinked for a moment, eyes turning inquisitively to the child again before wandering back to Soul. "You trust _me_?"

Soul nodded resolutely. "And if it's a fucking mistake, so be it. So lock her up however you want to. Guard her however you want to. Just don't let her get away before we can get a hold of Yaara or Maka."

* * *

Maka forced the morning to start the same. The same pot again, the same tea, followed by the same walk, the same door, the same backyard, and the same look on her mother's face. What was it? Maybe apprehension, definitely some disappointment, and while Maka had tried to ignore it for their time together, she finally focused on that deceptive sweetness. _So is that what you want, Mama? The babies gone before they even are? For me to leave my husband so there's never another chance of any more? What is it?_ As if answers would come that easily. "Good morning," Maka tried to be gentle but still heard the snap to her voice.

"Are you feeling alright?" Yaara offered back quickly as concern creased the skin between her eyebrows.

"Fine," Maka brought that jovial lilt back to her voice. "The babies are just very active, that's all. Papa said that I was the same way. Kept you up at night." She finished that with a soft, apologetic smile only to find that stern crease increasing on her mother's forehead.

"I don't know why he'd remember that," she sighed. "We were working when I was pregnant so sleep was rare anyway."

"Working meaning hunting, right?" Maka let her teeth press into her lip for only a moment before she let the second trail of words out. "How did you decide when it was a good time to go back to fighting? I mean, I know I have to take care of the babies but Soul… well, he seems pretty lenient about me fighting." _Only half a lie,_ Maka could almost laugh at herself. _We still haven't finished that argument on the bridge after all._

Yaara considered this but the tightness in her mouth was slowly unfurling, the start of a smile pulling at her lips. "Well, fighting is in your blood so you'll do it whether he approves or not, and really, _Queens_ rarely raise their children as is. Though I'm surprised to hear you say he doesn't mind. I heard he was possessive of you."

"Protective is a better word," Maka corrected but tried to keep her smile.

"With men, they often mean the same thing," Yaara sighed back. "And a proper Queen is all show. It's a wonder to me that Marie encouraged this."

"Mama," she shook her head slowly in admonishment. "Marie didn't encourage it. I asked her and she allowed it. I… I loved him for a long time and I thought the contest would cure me of it."

"Instead, you let it confuse, consume you," Yaara corrected. "I know you said no speaking ill of him and it's not him exactly it's… you have such power, Maka." She leaned closer and Maka allowed her to take her hands. "Being in love, being a mother, I'm sure it seems important but what you were made to do was save the world. The rest should pale in comparison."

Maka forced her eyes to their intertwined fingers, tracing each detail of her fingers to keep the bile and rage from taking control in her voice. "But I'm… married, and the babies…"

"You're already this far," Yaara's voice started off small, barely a whisper but started gaining strength with each word. "It's very likely he expects you're dead already and it's not like he's without suitors to take your place. And the babies… you have choices. Options. You're so young and so talented that you shouldn't give that all up just to be a glorified wet nurse."

 _Sh, don't,_ she reassured the little ones in her head as they already started to stir. _I'm not thinking about that, I wouldn't dare. You're going to meet your father, that's a promise._ Maka brought her eyes up to the deep umber of her mother's. "Is that what you wished your mother would have said to you?" The words were quiet, thoughtful, but tore out a piece of Maka's heart with them.

"Maka," Yaara laughed softly. "You were different, of course, you were different, but these babies-"

"Are going to live," Maka urged back. "But I really do wonder at how I made it. How you let me come into this world if that's how you feel - if power means giving up everything you love." She shook her head resolutely. "Loving Soul, having these children, it'll do nothing but _increase_ what I have. And being a mother doesn't mean I'm not a fighter because I plan to share my burdens instead of leaving them."

"Maka," Yaara charged again, "please, consider what you could have. You could come with me, we could be together and keep this world safe."

Maka shook her head once more and stood, leaving her mother's hands behind. "It's selfish, but the world doesn't mean anything to me without them in it." She settled her hands on the swell of her stomach, her smile trying to be bright for them but falling into melancholy as her eyes reached her mother's. "If that's what you expect, get rid of it from your mind. If… if you try to force this, to do anything to put _anyone_ that I love in danger, well… I can't kill you, I don't think I have to heart to, but if you get in the way I will turn my head. Between Black Star, Stein, and maybe Papa, I'm not sure you stand a chance."


	37. Chapter 37

Stein followed the winding stairs with his hand on the hilt of his sword. The whispers were a cacophony today even though he'd taken double his usual potion regiment and as he hit the final floor to the row of cells, his footsteps were drowned out by the sound. Madness had always been a constant companion but Stein felt that wall disintegrating. _And you're welcoming it, aren't you? Feeling the crumble and forgetting who you are and what you should be just to embrace the fun of it all._

Free was leaning against the bars, still amusing himself by tossing quips at Medusa masquerading as a little girl and being even more entertained by the lack of answers when he caught Stein rounding the corner. It was obvious that sleeping still wasn't within Stein's grasp and while Free was rarely one to mother anyone, he felt a pang of worry that he quickly buried under concern of another kind. "Didn't request you, Stein."

The words didn't seem to settle in Stein's ears until he was almost upon Free, looking up at him with that mild amiability. "Thought I'd check and see if you needed anything."

"We don't," Free answered casually but his eyes were analyzing along with his nose.

 _Let me out_.

Stein let out a long, low sigh as he tried to keep his eyes on Free. "Soul's been making arrangements."

_Let me out, Stein._

"He's met with most of the councils which means it's a matter of days."

_Let me out, Stein, and I can give you what you want._

"But I wanted to caution you," Stein paused to press his fingers to the bridge of his nose but before Free could interject he forced himself to continue. "That Yaara might be wherever we end up and you'll have to consider that she is Soul's mother-in-law-"

_Let him kill Yaara, or, better yet, let me go and we'll all kill her together because isn't that what she deserves?_

"I don't owe Soul that many favors," that amused lilt was still there but Free's eyes were narrowing. "You feelin' alright?"

"Tired," Stein answered back quickly. "I'll be fine when we're with Marie."

_If you can make it to Marie's. If you can hold on until her healing touch. I know you want it, but I doubt it. I really doubt it. It's easier, so much easier to-_

Free let out a sharp laugh, "Never imagined I'd be stuck with _two_ love-sick husbands."

Stein managed a toothy smile.

"Ah, and here's husband number two now," Free grinned as he tossed a wave Soul's way.

Soul tried to offer the same exuberance but came up short, just managing a tight smile. "Two days," he said with a finality that pulled his guts into knots.

_Let me out, Stein. Two days is just long enough-_

Free reached out and patted Soul on the back, sending his head jutting slightly forward. "Which means we'll get there a full week before your wife."

His smile barely budged, barely bloomed. "Which means we're putting Marie in danger for about a week. I'm still going to rely on you to watch that thing." Soul waved a hand at the creature that should be a girl, still seeing that cold reflection in the eyes before turning to Stein. "Do you think Yaara will come with her?"

_Do you think Yaara won't kill Free, me, and maybe even you just for the hell of it?_

"It depends," Stein made no commitment with the sentence.

"On?"

"Too many factors to name," Stein answered glumly. "And, honestly, I wouldn't trust my assumptions about Yaara. I hate to admit it, but I might be biased."

_Let me out._

Soul shook his shoulders, trying to loosen the annoyance. "Fine. We only need one of them anyway and… it might as well be Maka." He let the worry evolve to guilt, followed only momentarily by the thought he kept trying to solidify in his mind. _She's strong, she's a fighter, this is what she would want to do, to help. I sent her away, kept her out of it, but I'm sure she's hated every minute of it._

"Let's hope Yaara's learned her lesson," Stein muttered under his breath before giving in to the weakness and letting his eyes wander to the marionette behind bars. He had been right all those nights ago, it was not a cold face of pain but a gleeful smirk.

It barely seemed to part but he could hear the words again clear as day, _Let me out._

* * *

Maka had carefully arranged them at the table, Spirit on one side with her and Black Star sandwiching Crona between them while the pile of papers sat in the middle. Looking at it, one could almost believe it was the children getting a scolding from Papa, but Spirit looked like he was in the hot-seat, eyes darting between the three on the other side. Maka nodded at him but when no words started to tumble from his lips she put a soft hand on Crona's shoulder and whispered gently, "We have to ask you something. I'm afraid it might upset you but we're all here to support you."

 _Except for Yaara, of course,_ Spirit thought bitterly. If the babies were a problem with Maka's mother, Crona was anathema and Spirit had done his best to keep Crona in the house at all times. Yaara could most definitely see the sick soul bobbing around the house, he was sure of that, but at the very least he could ensure one child stayed out of her grasp. "You remember Stein, Crona?"

"Well, yes," Crona offered quietly. "He, um, isn't coming here, is he?" Crona's couldn't say their memories of Stein were the fondest and the shining personality trait they could remember had to do with dissection. The tension in the house was enough so he waited with a grim smile.

"No, but he sent something with Maka, something we need you to look at," Spirit clarified as he started to unravel the bindings around the papers. "That witch that's been bothering Maka, we want you to take a look at her."

"Oh, um," Crona started before looking at Maka. "What can _I_ do?"

Maka shook her head slowly. "You don't have to do anything, just tell us whether you recognize her or not. Then, if you remember anything about her, we'd appreciate it if you told us."

"I think I can do that." Crona's wide eyes hit the table, holding them open even against the fear of the image.

"You'll be fine," Black Star patted them on the back but their eyes only jutted along the table.

Spirit had been circulating through sheets, finally settling on the charcoal drawing that Soul had produced in the likeness of a woman who wasn't hideous but didn't give comfort to look at. As he turned the drawing towards Crona, his eyes watched the slow evolution of horror on their face. Crona's hand was instantly in Maka's, squeezing with a fury that made her breath catch in her throat. A tiny whimper left Crona's mouth as their other hand shakily touched to the edge of the paper just to recoil as if bitten.

"You know her," Black Star urged but let the rest of the idea drop off as Maka's eyes narrowed at him.

Maka patted her other hand over top of Crona's before turning from a glare to a smile. "It's alright. No matter what you say, we're here."

"That's…" Crona reached again, smudging some of the black around the curve of her hip. "That's my mother. Medusa."

Black Star eased back in his chair, exhaling hard at the ceiling as he planted his hands behind his head. He just barely held in the curses, letting them silently fly from his lips upward.

"Your _real_ mother?" Maka balked but in the next instance let it settle as almost an obvious piece of the puzzle. _No wonder their life was so horrible, so lonely._ "Does that mean you're a witch?"

Crona shook their head quickly, "No, not a witch, but I'm a…" There was a slight wriggle to their body, a leaning from term to term in their head. "Well, that sword was made for me, I'm part of it and it's part of me and that's how Medusa wanted it. The black blood was supposed to…" Crona turned their head and blinked at Maka, a grimace pressing between their lips. "Supposed to make me into something. Just like it was supposed to make Prince Wes or Prince Soul into something but-"

"Prince Wes?" Black Star shot forward and while Maka instantly had her hand out, trying to calm him, the volume of his voice couldn't be muted. "You mean it wasn't just Soul that she ruined but that _shit_ that happened to Prince Wes, the ambush, that was _Medusa_?"

Even in the face of Black Star's yelling, Crona turned frantic eyes to him and gave a trembling nod.

"Tell me," Black Star urged as his hand clamped around Crona's arm.

"Black Star-" Maka started but Black Star's fist hit the table, making the paper and the rest of them jitter.

"I'm not mad at _you_ , Crona," he pronounced each word tightly. "I just need the information, OK?"

"OK," Crona squeaked before clearing their throat. "Well, um, I was supposed to go to Prince Soul. Medusa went with Prince Wes. She… well, she knows everything that happens in that castle, she has snakes _everywhere_ so knowing where Prince Wes was going to be, like in the ravine that day, that was easy so she… well, both of them, Prince Wes and Prince Soul were supposed to be infected since… we couldn't be sure if either of them would survive the blood to begin with so… Prince Soul was strong enough but Prince Wes… Medusa killed him because he wouldn't be useful."

Black Star dropped his grip from Crona's arm and his eyes went back to the ceiling, narrowing as if he were reading an ancient text there.

Crona turned their attention to Maka, "And I'm… I'm sorry but you were supposed to die, too."

"Me?" Maka whispered softly. "Why me?"

Their shoulders jittered in something like a shrug. "Medusa knew about your mother, about the way she could see souls, but… you can do more than that. You can tell feelings, thoughts, what someone is, and what their intentions are. That's dangerous, or at least to Medusa it was."

Maka risked a glance at Spirit, finding a sour frown on his lips but nothing more. "Then have you heard from her since you got here? Since you've been staying with us?"

"No," Crona urged back quickly. "And I swear, I don't want to. I don't want to do her things. I like _this_. I want to stay here."

"I believe you." Maka squeezed their hands gently, that calming smile coming to her lips. "But I think, maybe, none of us can stay here anymore."

"What?" Spirit was quick to jump on the edge of her words and even Black Star's attention was back to her.

Maka took a deep breath and looked between the two men before focusing on Spirit. "How much longer, especially after we've traveled here, Mama's traveled here, do you think you can keep Crona a secret? With Medusa interested in us now, maybe Eruka out there, and maybe whatever that wolf-thing was, how long?"

Spirit started shaking his head, "But that doesn't mean jumping right out into the open."

"Marie's isn't the open," Maka started slowly but saw Spirit's eyebrows instantly furrow. She attempted to look to Black Star but it was a strange mirror in the face, all skepticism from both sides. "We'd be getting all of us together in one place-"

"Which is a perfect recipe for killing us all at once," Spirit spat.

"Or strength in numbers," Black Star said with a sigh. "And Crona knows Medusa, probably the others too and could give us information and maybe even fight with us."

Spirit was shaking his head on repeat, the motion bordering on dizzying. "Or leave Crona open to being manipulated again."

"With all of us there, Crona will be protected," Maka urged back. "You won't be the only one who'll be watching and supporting them."

"I'm going with you?" Spirit balked.

"Yes," Maka answered back quickly. "And I'm going to imagine that Mama's going to follow us there as well, so it'll be…" she paused to sigh, "... quite the group."

Black Star stood up from his chair but instead of a scream, a loud bout of laughter left his lips. "I never thought I'd hear a crazier plan in my life - bring the person who tried to murder my best friend back under the same roof as him and his pregnant wife along with her insane mother and mediocre father while we all battle a fucking apparently indestructible witch together."

"Soul won't be there," Maka shook her head.

"That's the part of the plan you have trouble with?" Black Star let the laughter spring from his mouth again. "Look, if you don't think Soul's already there or is going to be there soon, then you don't know him half as well as I thought. He's probably gone crazy by now and he's with Marie or halfway there."

Maka huffed out a sigh as she rolled her eyes, "We all agreed-"

"But you gave him that damn note about the babies," Black Star cut through with a smile. "Which we both know probably lit a fire under him that even Stein can't put out so I'm guessing he's there. You can place your bets elsewhere, but since you already owe me a lordship and godfather, I don't know what you have left to wager."

Maka fought against a smile, against the hope that Black Star was feeding her but it was a herculean effort to keep the thin line of the frown. "Even if he is there, it's not a bad idea."

"It's not a good one either," Black Star cackled. "But I guess nothing's a good idea. So what the hell do we have to lose."


	38. Chapter 38

Soul kept his hood up. Stein was still offering him cold and slightly sour looks each time he let his eyes leave the trail ahead, but Soul was pleasantly settling back into the idea of anonymity. He could barely remember what it was like to be able to travel since the last time he was conscious for it was his first trip to Marie's, but even with the idea that Free had just his iron grip and irons to keep the little girl in his clutches, Soul couldn't help but feel the small squeal of exhilaration.

That lasted for the first few days until the lack of sleep caught up with him and the group slowed their press. The rush had bought them a few days worth of a head start, but they were still a week away. He'd split Kilik and Ox, leaving Ox at home to solely stand-in for Black Star and had Kilik pick only a handful of veteran soldiers so the campsite was small, cozy, but still filled with a buzz of tension that made eyes dart often to Free and his clutch on the girl. Soul settled next to him amidst all the stares. "Let me take her tonight."

Free chuckled, "I don't need to sleep yet, prince."

"I'd rather you sleep before you have to," Soul smiled as he offered his arms. "So let me."

"Fine," Free huffed but not without a whiff of happiness as he moved the chained little girl into Soul's arms. "But you'll stay right here, next to me."

"Sure," Soul shrugged. "But it's me and Stein awake tonight, so I doubt anything'll happen."

Free grumbled as he settled back and his mind mulled over that statement, finding it holding little water in his head. As he eased his hands behind his head he waited for the inevitable.

The other men didn't seem to ascribe to Free's paranoia, most settling down here and there as they became black blobs behind the glow of the fire. Soul met eyes with Stein across the way who simply nodded as his glare continued along the crowd. The little girl had ceased to fuss but while Soul wanted to believe it was because she'd fallen asleep he tried to remind himself of the sick smile, the evil eyes that shone back from what should be an innocent face.

Even with the fear tugging at him, the idea that this little thing in his arms had plans to murder everything he held dear and technically he was taking it right to them, Soul let his mind wander to Maka. If he was going to stay awake, wasn't the best medicine the sweet plump of her bottom lip or that glowing smile that she hid until night, between the covers and between his kisses? And how would she look now? Even though there'd still be time before the babies were born, she would most likely be showing, especially since there was not just one but two she was carrying. He wondered how the curve of her body would change, how following it with his hand would feel.

After a few hours and a few wistful sighs from Soul, Stein stood, his head turning from side to side to look out into the darkness. Soul was about to open his mouth and call to him when Stein held up a hand to preempt the noise before slinking out into the darkness. Soul juggled the little thing in his lap but made sure his one arm was still secure around her as he readied a hand for trouble. Listening only brought him the buzz of insects, the crackling of the wood in flames, and a few random snores.

A cold, creeping undulation in his skin started at his neck and just as he was about to turn to Free the twine hit his neck, pulling his head back and cutting the air from his mouth. Willing his blood seemed to do nothing, the pressure of it completely different than piercing of the sword he'd been able to stop and Soul could only grunt with the loss of air. His arm stayed tight but that little face was turning to him, the murderous delight dancing in its eyes as he gaped. Soul let three useless revolutions of his lips pass with hands working uselessly before he relaxed and let the rope pull him further into the darkness.

As the gray started to pull at the corners of his vision, Soul opened his mouth and bit down as hard as he could, springing fresh blood into his mouth from the new rip in his tongue. With the last of his strength, he pressed his head back against his attacker, getting enough of an angle that he could spit the blood into the air. Instantly, they became floating needles, striking Stein in the face and forcing his grip from strangling to attempting to clear the injurious blood from his face.

"Free!" Soul shouted just when he'd suck in enough breath. Free was up in a second, watching the black ooze from between Soul's lips as he desperately clutched at the little thing in his arms. "Grab Stein!"

Free wasn't much for orders but this looked to be a necessity, Stein just starting to recover even though the pinpricks of blood had started all over his face like pox marks. He lunged for Stein, striking him in the chest and knocking the air from his lungs with a sick gasp. "Knock him out?" Free offered as he smashed another hit behind Stein's bent over body, sending him to the ground.

"Then bind him," Soul barely breathed out. At this point, the soldiers were moving, hands aplenty arriving to hold Stein to the ground as he was bound much in the way the little one was. Soul sat and spit out the rest of the blood, waiting until his saliva ran clean. "You little bitch," he murmured as he shook the girl still tight under his arm.

The pleased face was still looking up at him, those eyes calling for his blood. "Your friends aren't your friends," it whispered.

"Yeah, not when you poison them," Soul muttered. "Just shut the fuck up." He motioned Kilik over, handing the little monster to him firmly before stomping over to the crowd of bodies. Free still had a firm knee to the middle of Stein's back even though his arms were properly bound. "How is he?"

"Mad," Free answered easily. "Should have guessed."

Soul kneeled so he could peer at Stein's face, "Stein?"

The answer he received was a string of sick cackles along with a smile that split the corner of his lips, adding to the blood that was already on his face.

"Bind him more," Soul warned with a sigh. "Iron if we can get it."

* * *

Maka dragged herself out of bed early without the tea, forcing her feet straight to the stable and the horses. Just as she had gotten through saddling the second she heard the footsteps and tried to ignore them. That only earned her a few more minutes of silence before her mother's voice came sharply behind her, "What are you doing?"

"We're leaving early," Maka tried to deliver with as much emotion as a food request.

"Maka, if it's because of what I said-"

"No," she interjected quickly as she moved to the next horse. "It has nothing to do with you. I'm tired of sitting here and waiting. I want to help Soul and the babies are far enough along now that… they should be fine no matter what." That earned her silence, not even the shifting of feet and Maka forced her eyes from shooting to her periphery to check if she was even still there. Instead, she offered another short burst of words, "If you're going to follow us, you might want to go and get ready."

The silence still settled for another moment before her mother's voice came quietly. "Do you expect me to?"

"I don't know." She finished with the last horse before she turned back and crossed her arms uncomfortably over the curve of her stomach. "But all of us are leaving, so take it or leave it." A brittle sigh broke across her lips. "But I meant what I said, so don't come if you expect to do anything to Soul or the babies."

"Maka, what I said about the babies…" Yaara paused for the interjection but Maka remained silent, her eyes boring into her mother. "I worry about how you'll be happy with that kind of man, with that kind of life. A common girl was what you were born as, a fighter, and now you have to understand that this means other expectations for you. That after this interruption, your life will go back to pomp and boredom."

"He asked me to take care of our children," Maka let drop honestly but held the words up with a smile, "but he promised to do the same. He's promised that when we rule, we rule equally-"

"Promises," Yaara started. "All of them words that can be taken back as soon as you're under his rule again."

Maka shook her head slowly with a disappointed sigh. "Mama, you just don't _know_ anything."

"Maka," Black Star called from the backdoor, breaking the conversation.

"Excuse me," Maka said quickly as she pushed past her mother and came to Black Star's side. "What is it?"

"Crona just needs a little encouragement." Black Star smirked as he waved her in, watching her get far enough in the hallway before shutting the door and starting out onto the lawn. He was halfway to Yaara when she started to turn towards the woods. "Hold up."

"What?" Yaara asked impatiently over her shoulder, not bothering to turn around.

"Are you going to follow us or no?"

"What business is it of yours?"

Black Star crossed his arms over his chest with a huff. "I'll offer you the same thing as your used-to-be husband." This perked her interest, Yaara's head turning quickly over her shoulder to look at him with appraising eyes. He wondered if his shit-eating grin gave it away before he started. "If you want, I'll kill you. I don't have a problem with it and something tells me _you_ might be a challenge that I'll appreciate."

Yaara sucked her teeth as she threw her head back over her shoulder.

"Just giving you a fair warning," Black Star called after her, making Yaara's feet slow again. "Follow us and just be a good little spectator to the journey, then, well, the end result is up to Maka. But follow us and _fuck_ with us, and you'll earn it. I don't hesitate."

There was a pause and Black Star was sure her feet were about to catapult her forward when her voice came interested over her shoulder. "You're the captain of his guard?"

"Have been since we were kids," Black Star answered easily. "Will be until I die which'll be never."

Yaara let a rueful laugh come from her mouth, "If you're the kind of man he trusts…"

Black Star snorted a laugh, "Why am I not surprised you have a problem with people who tell it like it is? Soul likes that I don't bullshit, I don't keep things to myself. So does your daughter, for that matter, though it took her some time to warm up to me. Maybe you should take a page out of my book and try being honest every now and then."

"What should I be honest about?" She offered playfully.

"Oh, plenty," Black Star laughed. "I could give you a laundry list of shit you could say to your daughter but all I care about right now is whether or not that _bullshit_ about being stuck as a mom is the real reason you want Maka to lose the babies."

Yaara's eyes narrowed and she took a step closer to him, her attempt to intimidate instantly backfiring as he leaned closer to her in anticipation. "I wouldn't expect you to understand."

"You know what, I hope I don't," Black Star shrugged. "Bottom line, those babies survive. Maka made it clear that she'd die for them and let me make it clearer: so would I. And trust me, I'm not dying, ever, so it's a losing game to get in the way." He was surprised at the way this derailed her, all of the rage falling from her face for a wrinkled brow and slight gape to her mouth.

"You're not the father," she said dumbly.

"Obviously," Black Star added a genuine laugh at the idea. "But I have this thing, it's called loyalty and it's something both Maka and Soul actually deserve."

"It's time to go." The opening of the backdoor let Maka's voice drift between them and Black Star dropped the conversation as easily as he started it, walking back towards the sound. Maka was urging Crona forward and while their face was still frozen in fear their feet were not. "I would say you can ride with me but I'm not sure there's much room with the babies," Maka joked softly, getting the corner of a smile from Crona.

"We all ride by ourselves," Black Star instantly cut in. "Crona's grown, they'll be fine." He added a clap to Crona's shoulder that didn't kill the tiny start of the grin but did jostle their body forward a few steps.

Maka let out a forlorn sigh as she steadied Crona's steps with her hands on their shoulders. "When are you going to be gentle?"

"When you stop being stubborn," Black Star tossed back with a grin, getting exactly the scowl he wanted in return. He shouldn't have been surprised but as he turned back to the horses Yaara was nowhere in sight. That brought a slowness to his step, letting Maka come shoulder to shoulder with him before he made a quick grasp of her elbow. "You sure you feel well enough for this?"

"It's nice of you to ask," Maka said with a withering sigh, "but it doesn't matter. We have to go. And waiting another week would just make it harder."

"Well, don't slow us down." He gave her elbow one more squeeze before releasing it, the few hissing words she offered back not hitting his ears. Everything was blocked by that one thought in his head, _Soul, be there when we get there._

* * *

Stein in shackles had already sent the castle into a tizzy but as soon as Soul took down his hood the flutter of people turned into a frenzy. It would be amusing, all the instant hemming and hawing over him if everything didn't feel so dire. Stein hadn't improved, completely adrift in Madness that seemed to encourage their little ogre of a charge who had been wearing that grotesque smile for every day since. All of it unsettled Soul especially as he now walked through the hallways in search of Marie. _And telling her that her husband is Mad, tried to murder me…_ He heaved a sigh.

When he turned what he thought to be the final corner he was trapped by a short, stout woman. "My prince, it's so nice of you to visit and to bring Lord Stein home but Lady Marie is still unwell, so visiting-"

"Tell her it's me," Soul urged back, trying to keep the flat authority to his voice but still finding that boyish panic biting at the back of his words.

"She made express wishes that no one was to see her in her current state," the woman gave back the well-practiced response.

Frustration was starting to thicken in his throat and Soul barely squeezed out the words. " _Please_ , tell the lady it's me. I think she'll make an exception."

The pale blue eyes looked him over for another moment before disappearing behind the door. Soul leaned into the stone, barely keeping in another withering sigh, leaving it just as a truncated breath. It was only a moment before the door swung open again and the petite woman was beckoning him closer with a smile that still held worry around the edge.

"Soul," it was a gentle but still lively greeting, pulling him into the room and into Marie's sight. She was sitting up in bed, the tiny bundle cradled in her arms while Ben lounged at her feet, his hands busy with paper and charcoal. "I'm sorry, I would have warned Auntie if I knew you were coming." Marie nodded at the woman behind him. "Auntie, would you take Ben to lunch, please?"

"Come along, Benjamin," Auntie cooed. Ben only hesitated long enough to peek into the folds of the blanket to take another look at his brother before offering a smile to Marie.

Soul took the moment to stare at Ben, his eyes growing wider as the boy passed. "He looks _just_ like Stein."

Marie let out a short laugh as she smiled warmly, "He does, but our second boy takes after me." She uncovered the baby enough that Soul could see the wisps of blond hair. "Speaking of, where is their father?" that came with a singular tremble, a twitch in her lip that barely held.

"He's here," Soul's answer came tentatively and suddenly his hands had no right place to go. They evolved from fists to an awkward clench at the side of his arms as he crossed them protectively around himself. "But he's not well, Marie."

"He was injured?" Marie sat up straighter as if preparing for the blow.

"Well, he had been, on his way to the castle, weeks ago, but…" Soul was withering and he loathed the cowardly turn to his stomach with each word but the words still drifted weakly, "It's the Madness. He's…"

A huge release of breath came from her and she eased back into the bed. "Have him brought up here."

"We had to shackle him," Soul tried to add, amend because all the knots in Marie had eased away. "He tried to _kill_ me."

That brought a sigh to her lips, "I'm sorry about that. I know with the potions he's usually well enough, but he's been away from me for so long this time…"

"And he had a little help," Soul grumbled. "That witch poisoned him."

"So it'll be worse this time…" Marie shook that off like a chill. "Tell the guards in the hall to bring him here."

Soul did as ordered even though it made his gut feel like it was grinding glass. The calm on Marie's face, only slightly tainted by a hint of a wrinkle of worry between her eyebrows, made the urge worse and Soul had to swallow the queasiness. "Marie…"

"Come here, Soul," she motioned him closer and he made hesitant steps to the bedside. "Sit down." Again, as ordered he let his knees buckle, sending him to a hard seat on the bed. "Now, hold your arms out, get your palm open on your right."

"What?" He had believed his worry to be dizzying just a moment ago but as Marie's stretched her arms between them, moving the baby to his open hands and delivering the weight there, he was sure that his heart would explode.

"You've never held one before, have you?" There was a cute, teasing lilt to her voice that brought a blush to his cheeks. "And soon you'll have one to hold of your own, so maybe some practice is in order."

"Two," Soul croaked as he brought the tiny bundle closer to his chest to steady it. "There's… two babies, Marie. Maka's carrying two."

A glow came to her face, her smile stretching from serenity to joy. "Then you'll need double the practice."

Soul's eyes fell from the warmth on her face to the small one in his arms. As the baby sunk into his elbow, the tiny eyes opened, blinking up slowly and sleepily at Soul. For a breathless moment he could see it, the green eyes and blond curls that could be a perfect replica of Maka, maybe only marred by the inheritance of his toothy grin or the scraggly nature of his hair. He could have lost his mind in the daydream if it hadn't been for the commotion at the door, Marie's guards dragging in an obviously straining Stein.

"Oh, Franken." It was as if she were chiding a child and she rushed to him just as quickly as a mother would to a little one up to no good. Soul turned, careful not to jostle the baby, but sat frozen at the edge of the bed as the soldiers deposited him on the floor. Stein was already struggling to his knees when Marie got to him, her hands gently cupping his cheeks.

Before Maka, mysticism and magic had only been things Soul had read about, and as a child, had been mostly sheltered from. If his parents had allowed it, Wes would have told him stories about witches, about healers, and the millions of other special powers that popped up in pockets of people, but they'd insisted that their younger son be sheltered. So seeing the dim glow come off of Marie's fingers, the shine to her skin that while ethereal seemed utterly natural to her, Soul was dumbstruck. A few minutes of this passed in utter silence, just Marie leaving a brilliant gleam of healing to permeate the room. Even Soul couldn't hold onto the knot of worry in his chest, only left with the buzz of tranquility as she finally let her hands glide from Stein's cheeks to his chest.

"Marie…" Stein whispered out in relief.

"I should kill you, Franken," Marie murmured playfully. "Letting yourself get that bad."

"I'd like to blame some of it on the witch," he offered back breathlessly. While his eyes never left Marie's, Stein's voice drifted past her. "Soul, are you alright?"

"Nothing permanent," Soul tried to sigh but the afterglow pushed any glumness away.

"And Free and that thing?"

"Downstairs and fine."

Marie clutched a hand into his shirt and gave his chest a soft knock. "Would you please ask about the most important thing?"

Stein lowered his voice, letting his face creep closer to let the words run from his mouth to only her ears. "How are you, my love?"

"Not me, Franken," Marie sighed but it was saturated in relief and longing.

"But you are the most important thing."

Even in front of her future King, Marie closed the gap, trapping those sweet words to Stein's lips with her own. It was chaste, short, and only gave a modicum of relief before she jumped to her feet. "Soul, please, I'll take the baby if you'll unfetter him."

Soul didn't have to offer her the bundle before she was taking it from him, the baby starting soft little coos at the sight of his mother. "He's alright?" But even without the answer Soul was starting to move towards Stein at Marie's bidding, his hands instantly working at the mechanisms.

"While Maka can counteract demon and witch powers," Stein began to explain in that tutorial sort of way of his, dry and learned as if he hadn't just been in a touching moment with his wife. "Marie has the ability to combat any amount of Madness. She can calm any soul and heal it."

"That's what the glow was?" Soul asked as he freed one of Stein's hands. While it relaxed against him there were no sudden movements and Soul let a small corner of his worry wither away.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Stein brought his eyes back to Marie for that, seeing her beam with pride just for the moment.

"It is," but Soul realized his agreement was unnecessary as he turned his eyes between the two of them after he'd loosened the rest of the confines. It no longer seemed to matter if he was there or not, Stein and Marie staring at each other patiently. "I'm going to… if you're alright that is, I'm going to check on Free, get everyone else settled."

"You do that," Stein assured him as he tested his balance on his heels before pushing to standing.

Soul was slowly amending the history in his head, the idea that other than that flower-filled day courting seemed out of Stein's grasp because the look in his eye at that moment was nothing but. He didn't offer any more words, just backed out of the room with the start of a smirk on his face.

"I hate that you were right," Marie started as soon as Soul had left the room. "Another boy. And he has your eyes again."

"But he'll have your power," Stein came back quickly as he eased towards her. Marie didn't hesitate and held the bundle out to him, placing their perfect second son in his arms. "What did you name him?"

Marie took a step closer, trapping the baby between the two of them. "I didn't. I was waiting for you."

"You didn't wait with Benjamin," he smirked.

"That was easy, my father's name, but your father," Marie shook her head.

Stein followed that with a bitter laugh, "Definitely not. What about Joseph?"

"For Joe?" Marie's eyes went wide, "Franken…"

"You loved him," Stein offered without tainting the words. "And we both know you would have married him if it hadn't been for-"

Marie planted tender fingers over Stein's lips. "If I were going to name our son after a man I love it would be Franken. From the start to the finish, from the moment we met, it was you. But I think that would be a little hurtful to Benjamin. He is your son, too. Let's not make him ever feel like just because this boy was born when we could marry that he's not just as important to us."

"Then he's nameless," Stein snorted a laugh.

Marie leaned closer, resting her head on his shoulder and coaxing his arm around her, pulling her closer to his side. "You said he'd have my touch, didn't you?"

Stein let out a thoughtful hum, "That's what his soul looks like."

"Then Jason," Marie answered with a surety that made Stein's eyebrows raise. "It means healer."

"And since when have you had the time to search through ancient meanings like that?" he smirked but not without softness in his eyes.

"Since you've been gone," she murmured back. "Especially since…" her hand clutched tighter and she pressed her face into his shirt to let the words get half lost in the fabric, "Tell me we can announce it all. The marriage, the baby, because you're definitely a lord now, right? I didn't dream all of this and it's still real and you're actually here not dead on the roadside and-"

Stein dipped his head, catching the words on her lips and stopping the mad rush of her mind just as she'd done the same for him moments ago. "Tomorrow if you'd like. Soul probably won't mind falsely officiating the record that we've been married since the conception, Jason is legitimate and Benjamin, while unfortunately recorded as my bastard, will be formally adopted to the house as heir, first son. Then we can get to work on that daughter you've asked for."

"Franken," Marie chided but just barely as she allowed him to capture her lips again, this time with a fervor that told her that last sentence wasn't in jest.


	39. Chapter 39

Anxiety still gripped Soul the first few moments of angling Jason's delicate head and it was flaring now with the addition of Ben half climbing into his lap, eyeing his baby brother protectively. "Be careful," Ben warned again.

"I think he's got it, Benjamin," Stein chided as he grabbed the little boy out of Soul's vicinity before hoisting him into his arms. "You're awful nosy and that's the crowned prince you're talking to."

"It's _my_ baby brother," Ben grumbled back.

Both Stein and Soul snorted out a laugh as they exchanged looks. "My looks, but Marie's attitude," Stein grinned as he rolled his eyes a little.

"Nah, if it was Marie I'd have gotten a glare with it." Soul was about to laugh but a cry started between his arms and panic settled back into his gut. "Uh, he's crying," he looked helplessly to Stein.

"Hold him like this," Stein used Ben as a prop, holding the little boy against his chest so his head angled over his shoulder. Soul mimicked perfectly but the mewling continued. "Pat his back, add some motion. Each baby has a rhythm."

"A rhythm?" Soul started the patting perfectly but the idea of baby tempo was beyond him.

Stein started to chuckle, "Your knees, Soul. Bend your knees, move a little. Like a dance, but smooth rocking."

 _A metronome_ , his mind grasped blindly at the only translation he could manage and he found himself swaying to a strange cadence, trying to let it match the short sounds from Jason's mouth. As caws turned coos, Soul continued the pattern as a tentative smile came to his face.

It was a squawk from Ben that caught his attention next, Soul turning his head slowly to find Stein's hand clapped over Ben's mouth. "Quietly, Ben," Stein cautioned next as he let the little boy wriggle from his arms. "Soul, let me take him."

"No, I… I think I got it, Stein," the joy in his voice broke hoarsely as he convinced himself now wasn't the time to cry. "I think he's OK, maybe… maybe I'm not so bad at this."

"You're not," Stein said with an even smile. "But I think there's something else that requires your attention."

Soul let his eyes trace the trail that Ben had left behind, finding him pressed into a travel-dusty skirt. His knees threatened to buckle and he was happy that Stein quickly lifted Jason from his arms as his eyes met hers. "Maka…"

"Maka!" Ben took this as his cue for a reprieve from his father's order for silence, renewing his tight grip on Maka's skirts as she ran a hand over his hair.

Maka had wanted to call for Soul the moment she reached the room, but the sight had transfixed her, sent her into a daydream that she didn't have the heart to interrupt. Carrying her babies had left her easily imagining what it would be like to be a mother but seeing Soul with a tiny blond head on his shoulder, bobbing as any new father would to placate and love his child had blossomed a new kind of hopefulness, one that she couldn't yet interrupt. "I'm home," she said softly.

"Ben, come here," Stein motioned, getting the little boy to stubbornly relinquish his hold.

While Soul wanted to laugh it came out as a breathless gasp from his mouth. All he could do was move forward, his fingers reaching to find purchase, proof of life, warm skin, and the line of her body. He was gutted by the way it felt to have the curve of her stomach hit him, to pull her in and support some of the weight she carried on her own for so long. His lips found the gentle bend of her neck to her cheek until finally reaching her ear, letting the heavy whisper hit her, "I missed you." The words felt dull in comparison to the relief in his chest.

"I should scold you for being here," a weak laugh broke half of a sob, "but I'm so glad."

"Punish me later," he murmured before bringing his lips to hers, seering them sweetly with what he'd waited for months to give her. Soul wouldn't have abandoned the divine taste of her mouth if it hadn't been for the steady clearing of Black Star's throat and Marie's soft whispers beside him. He barely parted long enough to get a breath, ready to make the order to leave them be when Marie butted in the middle, grabbing Maka firmly.

And while Maka was in a dizzying drift from his kiss, she still gladly accepted Marie's arms, reveling in the soft, motherly nothings that Marie was whispering non-stop in her ear.

Soul let his hands touch over her shoulders, her hair before turning to Black Star. "You did it."

"Of course I did," he answered with that same nonchalant shrug that peppered most of his actions before grabbing Soul, throwing his arms tightly around his shoulders. Soul's eyes were more white than red for a moment as he embraced Black Star back. He was wondering over smart comments when the whisper struck his ear. "We need to talk."

Soul pulled away, testing the other boy's eyes to find jovial quickly being swept under the rug. As he turned his head back to Maka and Marie, he wanted to let the beauty of it take hold, root and throw away the storminess that Black Star seemed to bring with him but he didn't have a hope in the world of it. That wasn't how his mind could ever, or would ever work. So Soul ran a soft hand over Maka's hair again as he looked at Stein. "Will you fill Maka in?"

Stein hesitated until he glanced at Black Star. He turned a sweet smile to Maka and sheltered her next to Marie. "Of course."

"Soul…" Maka was instantly narrowing her eyes at him, giving Black Star a glare for good measure.

"No wine drinking, I promise," he murmured as he leaned towards her ear, "and when I come back, it'll be you and me for as long as you can stand it."

She gave another hesitant glance in Black Star's direction before she locked eyes with Soul. "You have five minutes."

He put on a grin for her as he turned to press Black Star out into the hallway. The soldiers standing around kept Black Star on the move, bringing him into a secluded corridor just before a set of stairs. "You're trying to get me in trouble just as I see my wife again?" Soul offered only with a modicum of playfulness.

"I'm trying to keep you from trouble with your wife," Black Star muttered. "Listen, both of her parents are here. Dad formally but I'm mostly sure Mom fell back to following us again."

"That _bitch_ showed her face?" Soul hissed.

"Don't call her that, trust me," Black Star heaved a sigh. "Let Maka deal with both of them, she hates it when you butt-in. But whatever you have planned for her, put it the hell on hold." He placed a firm hand on Soul's shoulder, giving it a shake for good measure. "She's tired, hurt and the past few weeks have been hell for her. For the next few days, do all that romantic bullshit I know you can be good at."

Soul narrowed his eyes at Black Star. "Since when do you know all this about her?"

Black Star grunted a laugh, "Since you stuck her with me for half a lifetime. And that's not the fucking last thing, either. Maka brought Crona along with us."

"Crona?" Soul let the name almost shout from his lips.

"Trust me, my reaction too, but…" He rolled his shoulders weakly. "I can't say I hate them. They strangely grow on you and Maka's still hellbent on making them one of us." Black Star gave him one more shake as he tried to suss out the look on Soul's face. "And now that I've given you more than enough to think about I'm telling you again, forget it all for the next few days. Just be with her. She needs it."

 _Since when do you know what she needs?_ A sick little inkling started in the back of his mind but another pat on his back seemed to knock it loose.

"Come on, if you're five minutes aren't actually up, I'm pretty sure Maka's convinced they are."

Names swirled in his head with each step accompanied by overwhelming waves of new urges and thoughts in his gut for each. Bringing him back to the room only amplified the strange clenching as he set eyes on her again, his mind suddenly gripping again to the change in her. _You've been apart so long and she's different now, her body definitely, but maybe even her. You did this. You set yourself back at square one with her again and what if this time…?_

"You took too long." Maka didn't reign in her admonishment but her arms spoke a different truth as they wrapped around his middle, bringing her desperately back into his arms.

"I'm sorry," he murmured and maybe he meant it more than just for that moment.

* * *

Maka had bathed, jasmine and honeysuckle at the ready without her request. While that moment started to unlock all the hurt in her, to wash away the first layer of the abuses of the past few months, a strange slow came as she got back to the room. It wasn't necessarily that his touches were stiff since his hands drifted without issue along arms, legs, sides, and most importantly, the swell of her stomach without hesitation or alarm. But there should have been electricity instead of that drifting melancholy that leached from his fingertips.

When Soul cleared his throat, she was hoping that the source would come with it, especially as the words stuttered from his lips. "How are they?" Now his touch was a little more tentative, starting at the top of her stomach but hesitating on the curve.

"Heavy," Maka gave the noncommittal answer followed by a short laugh.

His chest pressed tightly against her back and his lips came right next to her ear. "Have they… talked again?"

"No," she sighed wearily, "but they move endlessly. Here." Maka grabbed his hand, moving it lower on the globe to where one of them was nudging at her insides at least reservedly for now. She pressed his palm into it and the baby took that as a request for more, showing off under its father's fingers.

"Oh," it was a breathless surprise from Soul's mouth and Maka cherished it.

"Black Star and Crona hate it," Maka twittered a laugh. "They both think it's disgusting but Papa seemed to appreciate it."

"They've all felt it?"

With her hand pressed over his, it almost wasn't fair, the swiftness that the message came through. It was a zap that made her hand come away from his for an instant. _He's jealous._ It was oily and slick, something that turned her stomach with sadness and disbelief. "Of course. It's been happening, first flutters then the real kicks for, well, almost as long as I've been gone." She kept her hand away from his, instead letting it fall just above his as if she was feeling it with him. Really, she was waiting, giving him time for the right reply.

Instead, he gave this, "Does it hurt you?"

Maka clung to the sweet worry in his voice, but she knew if she touched his hand it would still be there, pushing a trembling sigh from her lips. "It keeps me awake. It is _definitely_ uncomfortable, but… I wouldn't trade it for anything." Settling on her back was uncomfortable and the way his arm clutched at her Soul was almost refusing her movement but Maka made the roll and then some, settling now with her stomach in between them. "I think I've gotten to the point where, deal or no, I'm happy they're there."

She could see now why he'd been resistant since there was a soft stain of tears on his cheeks and more threatening in his eyes. "Are you sure?" Soul whispered back as he grabbed her hand away just before it got to his cheek, leaving the tears lingering there instead of comforted away by her fingers.

The next signal from his touch brought the tears to her own eyes. _Fear, so much fear, and why? This is me getting a taste of my own medicine, the way it must have felt when I made that wall out of foolish caution, protecting myself from hurts that weren't going to come even though I thought they would. Because that's what it seems he's doing now, putting distance between us because he's afraid._ "Soul, I chose you just as much as you chose me. I don't regret that."

"I don't either." With some relief, he released her hand and let it come to his face as Maka carefully and tenderly rubbed away the tears there and the second wash that came to his cheeks.

As she cleared it, Maka examined his face, waiting for more words that she was slowly becoming sure wouldn't come. ' _Secrets don't work,' remember, Soul?_

"Maka, I…" His hand was over hers again, pressing it lovingly into his cheek, but the message was the same. Fear, jealousy, and an unhealthy fleck of sadness on top. "I love you."

"I love you," Maka urged back, trying to send that message through her fingers to break the chains of the ones that held so tightly to him. And at that moment, Maka cursed not having Marie's talents as well.

* * *

Black Star was well aware of the tension at the breakfast table but there were far too many options for its source. While he was positive Yaara was still somewhere in the shadowy depths, there was still _one_ wayward parent at the table who was eyeing both Soul and the princess with some kind of mounting displeasure. Not just that, but there was a buzz from Marie as a secondary parent, ready at a moment's notice to protect her adopted eldest from the potential barbs of her real father. Crona was positively oozing terror from just about every orifice simply based on the change of location but most definitely because the man he tried to murder was sitting across from him. Finally, it was dreadfully obvious that Soul hadn't taken his advice, some thick kind of mood settled into his mostly sleepless looking features.

So, he did what he did best and threw a joke, or probably closer to a tease, onto the table as soon as he walked in, of course attacking the least tense out of all of them. "Well, _princess_ , it was _especially_ nice not to have to deal with you snoring last night."

Maka took it with a withering roll of her eyes but a grin thankfully followed, "But I see you still need me to insist on you taking a bath. You know you still smell like the road."

 _There it is,_ Black Star suppressed the grimace as he saw it play easily across Soul's face. For a man who most often did his best to wear a layer of apathy everywhere he went, Soul was completely inept at hiding jealousy. "Keeps you away from me," he chirped back as he leaned against the wall.

She snorted in reply but waved him towards the table. "Don't be stupid, sit down and eat."

He read Soul like a book, watching as his eyes focused on the table rather than the two of them talking. _So it's neither of our faults at least. No staring or glaring just his usual quiet rage._ "Nah, I'll leave that to you. You'll probably clear the table." _How many more quips from me before he gets up? I bet one more._

"You know I'm carrying two babies, that's more than enough reason to eat like I do," she huffed and as she looked to Soul for support, Black Star lost his own wager.

"Give me a second," Soul smiled weakly for her as he untangled their fingers so he could free himself from the chair.

Black Star was hot on his heels, throwing a dismissive hand at Maka on the way out. He wasn't totally confident that she would listen to him, but he was fairly sure Soul was going to be uncooperative whether she was there or not. He allowed Soul to get far enough into the hallway that their voices wouldn't carry. "You didn't take my advice."

"I don't think I'm in the mood for your advice," Soul spit back almost immediately but didn't turn to face Black Star.

He blew out a frustrated breath, "You might not be getting _deja vu_ but I sure am. Do you remember having this fight before?"

Soul's fist planted into the wall, the knuckles grinding against the stone.

"Over ten years ago you accused me of the same thing, remember?"

"I'm not accusing you of anything."

Black Star groaned. "Fine, guess _that_ approach is fucked. You want to know what we did all this time? I'll tell you. For the first few weeks, I annoyed her since she was quiet and my only hope of getting her to talk was if she yelled. Then, completely against her will, she warmed up to me because she _had to_ since we reached her father's. I threw that piece of trash in the mud and she yelled at me for it. Told me I wasn't you." He watched that bristle Soul's shoulders and Black Star could almost see his hair stand up on end. Black Star braced himself for the worst. "We slept in the same bed."

"What?" That actually got Soul to look over his shoulder but instead of the rage he was expecting, Black Star could only see a tragic tremble of his lip.

"Because that house was so damn small and her mother was stalking around outside. Not to mention, _like I said_ , she was hurting. I didn't want to leave her alone." He came within Soul's reach because he was sure he wasn't about to be decked. Instead, he pressed a hand to Soul's shoulder. "I know why you _used_ to feel this way but _now_? You're married to her. Hell, she's carrying both of your babies when, honestly, she didn't have to and she's met plenty of bullshit for."

Suddenly, and much to Black Star's relief, Soul's eyebrows started to furrow. "Bullshit? I swear if her father-"

"No," Black Star shook his head easily, "but maybe ask her about it. Comfort her. _Like I fucking said_."

Soul pressed a hand to his face, sighing roughly through his palm. "Why did I make her go with you?"

"Oh, shut the fuck up," Black Star keened. "You made a decision, _both of you_ , with a healthy helping from Stein so neither of you really had a choice to begin with."

"I know, but-"

"Soul." Maka rounded the corner, her hands on her hips as she came to Black Star's side. "Maybe I should have brought a wineskin."

"I would have appreciated it," Black Star grumbled and received an elbow from Maka for his trouble. She read his cringe as pain but it was more annoyance as he watched Soul's eyes hit the floor again. "Look, I know _I'm_ not the one who makes orders around here but I think both of you are entitled to a day off." He took the glare from Soul but received a perplexed but warming glance from Maka.

"I like that idea," Maka offered with a chipperness that was forcing a pull at the corner of Soul's mouth. It was a slow thaw, but he felt himself starting to melt as her eyes came to him along with her hands outstretched. "Why don't you walk me to the library?"

"Ugh, the bookworm wants books on her day off," Black Star cried over his shoulder as he started off back towards the hall, avoiding any last looks from Soul.

Instead of taking her hands, Soul smoothed one arm around her lower back and let the other play with her fingers. "I was about to ask if that's what you really wanted to do today…"

"But you know me better than that," Maka laughed softly.

"Maybe I do," he murmured as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. It wasn't stiff, filled with want and frustration that he still couldn't quite name.

"The real question is," Maka paused as she smiled up at him. "Do you remember what your usual pastime in the library was?"

Soul managed a snicker, "Napping."

"It's a little early for that, even for you." She let their shared laughter carry them a few more steps before she nervously chewed at her lip, forming the next question. "What will you do then?"

"Stay with you," he answered back quickly as his hand flexed at her hip. "If you don't mind."

She shook her head easily. "It's what I was hoping for."

If he could pull her closer he would have but Maka needed room for her own steps so he settled on just the escort, sweeping her to the library with that gentle ease on her back. Entering the room hit them both with only subtly different nostalgia. Both clung to the underlying memories of each other and as Maka moved to the window seat, looking down to see the training yard below where she'd sometimes caught glances of Soul with Black Star, Soul steadied himself next to the couch and murmured. "You know, I never really napped."

"Liar," Maka answered with a laugh. "You can't deny I nudged you awake more than once with drool on your chin."

Soul snorted a laugh, "Alright, _sometimes_ I did, but mostly… it was like it is now. Just an excuse to be near you."

That instantly brought Maka's soft eyes to him and while she still saw some of the fear, his eyes bordering closer to smoldering again, that heated look that she was used to those last few weeks together. "You don't have to make excuses anymore." She settled into the seat, reaching down to the bookcase beneath her and letting her fingers run along the spines before choosing one.

He watched her with earnest interest as she inspected the book, even going so far as to sniff as she slipped it open to catch that musky aroma. The layers of memory behind it mingled with the moment and he leaned into the couch by resting his knees but still pressing his chest to the edge so he could keep full sight of her. Like always, she only caught his attentions through her periphery, trying to show only interest in the pages rather than the way his eyes lingered over every little movement. His tolerance for it was always short-lived and as he settled down a little further, letting his chin rest on the ledge, he let an old question form on his lips. "How did you… how couldn't you tell?"

"What?" Maka hadn't been engrossed in the book at all but his question still caught her off guard.

"You said you didn't know how I felt back then, but…" He let his lean move from his chin to his cheek, staring sideways at her. "How did you not know I loved you? I… I did _try_ to show you."

Maka let out a long, lingering sigh as she rested the book on the bulge of her stomach. "Maybe not knowing wasn't the right way to say it. It was probably closer to not believing that it was possible."

"All the times that I told you I was going to stay with you…" he murmured.

"Were just all the times that reminded me that you were a prince, that you technically had somewhere else to be," Maka couldn't help the sour note, that old pain stirring up in her gut with all the memories of the room. "And while that fantasy that we made was beautiful," that brought a slight blush to her cheeks, remembering the way his hands could move over her body even though now it was so different. "If it hadn't been for Marie, for the contest, you and I… marrying would have been impossible, no matter how sweet the idea of running away together is."

"Maka," she was surprised by the chiding in his voice. "That wasn't a fantasy. It never was for me. I would have made it happen."

"Soul," she wanted to rebuke right back, but her resolve felt flimsy as his eyebrows narrowed at her. "I think the way you loved me then was different than it is now. I think…"

He didn't give her time to reason, "It is different, but… that didn't mean I wanted that love to end a different way. I didn't think I was with you just for some temporary fling, Maka. You were never going to be that for me."

"Soul…" this wasn't a scolding but a little surprised surrounded by the need to hold back tears. She let a hand purposefully stroke her stomach, soothing that idea of permanence into it. At that moment he was feeding her surety, truth, and her heart lurched for a little more of it. "Then, you always saw me becoming a princess."

Soul let a short laugh grunt out. "Honestly? _No._ "

"What?" Maka didn't have time to grab onto the shock of it because his smirk set her head for a spin.

"You're _you_. Princesses, Queens were like my mother and I never saw that in you. I think I just saw us being together, as we were because when I was with you I wasn't a prince. I was just Soul. You always let me feel that way even if you were sometimes holding my title against me," he added with soft sadness.

"Then what…" And for a poisonous moment, she let all her mother's words crowd in her head but as his grin didn't dissipate, as he hung on every last one of her words, Maka let the right ones pass her lips. "Then I'm still a fighter to you?"

Soul worked at his lip for a moment, arranging words with such care that she could read it on his face and it brought air to her lungs. "I know I said we'd fight about the bridge later and I… well, I've had plenty of time to think about it. I asked you to be two things, Maka…" he rose off the couch for his and took slow steps towards her so he was close enough to slip a gentle hand over hers on her stomach. In his touch, all she could read was a sudden wave of surety. "I asked you to be a mother to them and I asked you to rule with me, to be my partner. Anything other than that is what you chose to be. If you want to fight, you fight." Soul leaned close enough to brush his lips against hers. "I think it kind of goes without saying I want you to be careful, though. For me and for them."

Maka's hands weren't tender, just needy as she pulled him into the window seat with her. This had been a fantasy of hers so many years ago, drawing him close and making him kiss her deep and with an ache that passed with sweet sighs and lingering touches. Except now, there was only the reality. She'd married him, and he was good at keeping his promises.


	40. Chapter 40

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maka and Marie's discussion is literally the one happening in my head right now - because pregnancy romance? I don't know. I'm not settled on it.

One of the babies digging a foot or hand into Maka's organs brought her halfway from sleep while the complete absence of his warmth behind her brought her clear to the surface, her eyes shooting open and then around the room. Soul was seated on the window sill, the moon gently drawing an outline of his face that made the murmur jump from her mouth, "You're very handsome, you know that?"

He jumped slightly and in the dim light, she could see the boyish dust of pink on his cheeks. "What are you doing awake?"

"I told you, _your_ babies like to move."

" _Our_ babies," he corrected gently before he leaned as if he would stand but stuck there.

"They're yours when they're trouble," Maka teased as she pressed up on her elbow. She gave him a moment to chuckle before she dropped the grin. "Soul, I want to give you time, I do, but I'm… well, I'm pregnant. I'm tired. I've had a hard couple of months and I don't have the patience to wait. Tell me what's wrong. We said no secrets and now's the worst time to start them."

A sigh carrying the entire weight of it all fell from his lips as he knocked his head against the window frame. "I'm angry with myself."

"Or me, or Black Star," she offered plainly.

Soul quickly shook his head, "No, not you two. It wouldn't be rational to be mad at you two. I see that, I know that, so I'm mad at myself for feeling it in the first place."

A soft, glum smile hit her lips as she shook her head softly. "Why are you jealous?"

The word stung him almost as much as the feeling and a grunt fell from his lips as if she'd hit him. "He touched you, he slept next to you-"

"Not like that," Maka's shake came firmly.

"It _feels_ like that," he murmured. "And I let him. I made that his job."

"Again, not like that," it was harsh and exasperated so Maka forced a slow breath before continuing. "Black Star touched me when he had to. When it was necessary."

The bile rose in his throat and came like venom to his lips instead. "Which would be fine if he never loved you too."

Maka blinked as the words slapped her in the face. "Soul… _no_. I know I teased you, said that I knew both of you well, but-"

"Not _you_ ," Soul urged. "But he did. I know your memory's not as bad as mine so you have to remember, it was the only thing he and I _ever_ fought about."

Maka's mind was running a panicked track, searching along each nook and cranny for a glimpse of it. "Was that… around the new year? We must have been thirteen or fourteen. You two… didn't talk for a week but neither of you ever said _anything_ to me."

"It was the only time he let me hit him and actually hurt him," Soul murmured as he dug his knuckles into his thigh. "I gave him a black eye."

"I remember, but… Soul, he never said anything, did anything," Maka was completely at a loss and was trying to edge out of bed when his hovering hand between them stopped her.

Soul sucked in air but it was thin, not enough to carry his words making them cracked and brittle off his lips. "He didn't have to, Maka, and because he's Black Star, he didn't _want_ to and wasn't about to but he had to admit it to me. He's my best friend and he _knew_ how I felt but… he didn't have to try anything because I knew. I knew you made more sense with him."

That propelled her feet forward because she needed to grab onto him and give him a frenzied shake and even that barely felt like enough as her fingers dug into his shoulders. "Soul, this is _ridiculous_! I am your wife, I love _you_ and if you asked him now I'm almost _sure_ he would tell you that he doesn't feel that way about me."

"Why wouldn't he?" Soul offered back glumly. "Why wouldn't he still love you? You're the same. You're still…" he reached for her, ready to lovingly send a hand through her hair when she grabbed it, holding it tightly in the air.

"Because he wouldn't do that to you," Maka punched each word into his gut. "He did what he had to because it's not me he loves, it's _you._ You have always been the most important person to him and now…" She shook her head in exasperation as she pushed air through her nose. "I'm glad you see how foolish this is, Soul, or right now I'd be wringing your neck."

Soul used her grip to pull her closer and she allowed him to rest his head against her, finding an odd angle where the curve of her stomach met the curve of her breast. "You should strangle me." He clutched at her waist, bringing her tightly to him and Maka found her knees resting on the sill between his legs and threatening to collapse into his lap. "I just… I missed it. I missed all those moments with you and he got them, Crona got them, even your father while I… I lost all of that time with you. And worse," he lifted his head as scarlet eyes pleaded with her, "you were hurting and I wasn't there to take care of you."

"And whose fault was that, Soul?" Maka offered honestly.

"I know you won't say it's mine, but… it's fucking _mine_ ," he hissed out the last words painfully.

"Even if it was, which is most certainly isn't, you missed…" Maka let her hands rest on his cheeks. "You missed _nothing_."

"No secrets," he pressed. She withered, bending into him and Soul used it as an excuse to pull her into his lap. His face slipped into the crux of her neck as his arms roamed her sides. "Tell me, please."

"It's not important," Maka whispered back softly.

"It is to me," he murmured. "I know you saw your mother."

"Now I have to strangle Black Star too," Maka muttered.

Soul pulled his head from its hiding place, practically coming nose to nose with her. "How many times did I watch you cry over her? I can't give it a number and I can't tell you how much I've hated to see it and now you're trying to tell me seeing her was nothing? Maka-"

She kissed him softly, trapping any words he had after with the sudden sweetness. After she'd coaxed him with a few brushes of her tongue she let her fingers drift across his cheek. "I won't lie to you."

"Then tell me," he let out breathlessly.

"No," she whispered but clutched tightly to him, not allowing the balk at her steadiness. "I always wanted for both of you to see me only as strong. I had spent my life being the unfortunate one, and while Stein and Marie always loved me, it was too obvious at first that they felt sorry for me. They grew out of it, but I never wanted either of you to see me that way, especially you. So, no, Soul, I don't want to spill all of those tears again about my mother, but I want to show you how strong I am by ordering you to grow the hell up and to go back to doing what you're good at: loving me."

"I do love you," he breathed out as he nuzzled his nose to hers.

"And again," her voice was firm but low, barely coming out against his lips. "I am _your_ wife. I married _you_. I haven't thought about another person-"

He captured the rest on her lips as he teased the feeling out of her rather than the words. Soul's hand clutched into the fabric of her gown and he just stopped at the ties, his mind suddenly catching up with him. "I'm… I'm sorry."

"You should be," she murmured. _Though maybe I'm not entirely sure what you are sorry about._ "But not for being apart from me, not for what you feel was sending me away, but for trying to keep us apart now. I need you. I need you like this to keep me strong."

* * *

Soul woke her with soft, lingering caresses, his fingers dipping into her hair as he pressed a few tender kisses to her forehead. "Marie's waiting for you." Maybe it was something close to regret in his voice, still wanting her all for himself but hoping that this was the mother she needed.

"Let her come in, please, but…" Maka clenched a fist into his shirt as she let her knuckles rest against his sternum. "What will you be up to?"

"A few things," he answered cautiously. Those verdant eyes refused to waver and he sighed. "I'll… I'll talk to Black Star, promise."

He received half a kiss as a reward, her lips just brushing his lower one. "Then make the arrangements for the girl-Medusa thing."

"Today?" It wasn't a practiced motion like Maka's but his fingers tentatively came to her stomach. "You're sure you're feeling alright?"

She placed a firm hand over his, guiding him to rub contently over the swell. "If it's not today, when? Stein said she gets stronger the longer she stays in that body, so… we can't waste time."

Soul cleared his throat, "If Marie agrees to it."

Maka rolled her eyes as she gave his chest a push. "That is unfair."

He gave her a playful grin, "I know, but mother knows best." Soul turned a caress of her cheek into a flick of her nose as he jumped from the bed just out of her reach. "I'll be back."

"Don't poison Marie with any-" but he was out the door before she could admonish him anymore. As Maka was sitting up in the bed Marie peeked in.

"Ready for me?"

"Always." Maka let the genuine sigh of relief pass her lips though she was never quite sure if it was Marie working her magic or just her very existence. She didn't lend it much thought as she motioned Marie closer and without hesitation the other woman climbed into the bed, filling the space Soul had just vacated.

"I have a million questions," Marie murmured, "but I'm going to guess that you have a million and two, so why don't you start."

Maka worked her fingers into the sheets for a moment, picking at the pilling just as she was the words in her head. "Did… did Papa tell you Mama was around?"

"Around," Marie let out a long sigh. "Yes, and he also said she was nearby, though…" The thought trailed off as Marie's eyebrows furrowed at her. "Do you want her here? I can't say that she'll listen to me but between Spirit and I, maybe-"

"I want her to be here if she wants to be here," Maka said with a soft finality.

Marie pursed her lips, gaped for a moment, then thought better of it. "Has anyone seen to you while you were one the road?"

"Seen to me?" Maka's forehead wrinkled.

"The babies," Marie let a tentative finger touch Maka's stomach. "A midwife, priestess, anything?"

Maka shook her head slowly. "I… to be honest, I've tried not to think too much about it other than they will come when they come since, well, I'm still scared about what they are. Stein says they're fine-"

"Then they're fine," Marie urged back. "He wouldn't lie to you. But I know the changes in your body can seem terrifying, abnormal even when they are normal. How are you handling that?"

For a second, Maka's eyes went wide and her lip quivered as she tried to force it into a smile. Instead, the gushing wave hit her harder than any of the babies' kicks as the words started to spew from her mouth. "I'm not! I'm uncomfortable _all_ _the time_ and every part of me feels swollen. Not to mention the fact that I want to eat almost every moment of the day but everything upsets my stomach and the _smells_. Marie, half of the things I used to like smell awful and so much stronger than they used to. My breasts are sore, I can't sleep for more than half the night and my legs cramp whenever they like. And now he's here," that turned into a forlorn yelp as the tears came to her eyes.

Marie moved a hand to Maka's shoulder, rubbing it as she nodded with each rising complaint. "And Soul's not handling it well?"

"Well, he acted like an idiot," Maka huffed, "but last night he seemed better. We… I thought maybe…" She cut herself off with a frustrated groan as she shook her head. "It's _ridiculous, embarrassing._ "

"Nothing's ridiculous," Marie cooed. "Did he say something?"

"Not exactly," Maka sighed and let the air tremble over her lip as she went back to picking at the sheet. Her eyes had nowhere to go but they couldn't stay on Marie's face, instead trailing the patterns she was making with her nail. "This body barely feels like mine anymore," she murmured, "but even with that… I still, I wish… the way we kissed last night for a second I thought, but we can't. I'm… it's wrong, isn't it? And it's not like this is even attractive anyway, to even imagine he'd want to!" That blubbered into a groan as she pressed the heel of her palm to her eyes and a heated blush of embarrassment burned across her cheeks.

"Oh," Marie let the surprise move her eyebrows before she let out a hiccup of a laugh. "That's all? That's what's bothering you?"

"That's all?" Maka almost shrieked back.

"Darling," Marie smoothed a hand over her hair. "Yes, you're carrying his babies, but you are still the woman he loves. Maybe your body is a little different right now but unless he's said so, I doubt he's lost any love for you. And if he has said so, I'll murder him," she chimed softly, earning half a smile from Maka. "If you want him to kiss you, tell him so. If you want _more_ than that, tell him so. And if anyone's told you it's wrong, then let me correct it. It's fine to want to be close, be _intimate_ -"

Maka had to blurt over the word, the bashfulness painting her face with more color. "But the babies!"

"Aren't involved," Marie laughed. "Though be careful, there's an old wive's tale that too much can encourage labor."

"Marie," Maka whined.

She shook her head quickly, "But it's never hurt a baby that I know. But, maybe, at least just having a conversation with Soul about it…"

Maka moaned out a panicked cry before letting the tantrum of words explode from her mouth, "After this, no more babies!"

That encouraged a healthy laugh from Marie as she collapsed back into the bed. "Oh, darling, maybe not, but you never know."

* * *

Soul jammed his hands in his pockets and started heavy steps down to the courtyard. Each footfall was mired by guilt tainted with the sweet memory of her assertions of being _his_. _I shouldn't feel proud of that, not with the way I've been thinking lately. I need to earn that. I need to do what she said - give her strength._ That decision didn't relieve the shrinking in his gut as he caught sight of the blue hair over the fence to the fighting ring. As his footsteps plodded into the dust it became eyes peeking over the edge instead.

Black Star shot to his feet, throwing his arms over the fence and leaning in with a grin. "See you slept in."

"She spent a good portion of the night letting me know I was an idiot," Soul pressed an awkward hand to the back of his neck and wrung it there.

He raised his eyebrows, "With clothes on or off?"

Soul's cheeks pinked, "Shut up. She's _pregnant_."

Black Star snickered, "Don't think that stops most of the world."

While his eyebrows contemplated shooting up his head, Soul reined them in. "It's none of your business anyway," he tried to hiss but a squeak hit the middle that forced him to clear his throat. "And about the two of you…"

"Oh?" Black Star edged closer, his eyes narrowing to read it off of Soul's skin before the words even came from his mouth.

Soul offered a rough hand between the two of them as his fingers shook slightly. "I'm an idiot."

He snorted as a reply, "Good, because I wasn't going to let you give me another black eye."

A grimace started to tremble at the edge of Soul's mouth, "And I might have, well, I got pissed and I told her about the fight."

"Oh, _fuck,_ " Black Star griped. "Tell me you didn't tell her-" he cut the thought as Soul's grimace practically stretched to his chin and let it evolve into a throaty groan. "You know she's going to wave that in my face for the rest of our fucking lives."

Soul shrugged weakly, "I don't think she believed me all that much if it helps."

The sour curl of his lips quickly destroyed any hope of that being taken as the truth.

"Either way, I'm sorry," Soul finally let it fall from his mouth just like the weight from his chest.

Black Star looked up at him, that frank blankness on his face. "You're my best friend."

"Same," Soul nodded through it glumly, "and acting like that didn't fucking show it."

He crossed his arms over his chest, letting out a deep huff of air. "Does that mean you're not too proud to take my advice now?"

"It wasn't pride," he grumbled.

"Hurt pride, sure," Black Star shot right back. "But I don't give a shit about that - you're going to do what I said, right? All that blubbering is over and you're going to go back to being stupidly in love with her."

"All of that," he laughed roughly. "Except for one suggestion."

Black Star let the grimace come back, "I don't like the sound of that."

If approaching Black Star had created a pit in his stomach this was a giant ravine, a colossal leftover from an asteroid strike. "I'm going to talk to her father."


	41. Chapter 41

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I really don't know how we've gotten to 41 chapters without an ending in sight. I'm glad you're still along for the ride, readers. I have to say this part took me longer than usually because of the **sexual content** because I'm still not sure how I feel about it...

Spirit knew that loathing Soul was childish especially since one of the few memory he had of him was as a boy practically dying in Maka's arms. It was a strange jealousy, spurred on by that looping memory in his mind.

_Stein had done the best he could to dress the wound but there wasn't a hope for consciousness and he wasn't actually holding his breath for survival, though he would never tell Maka that. She insisted on cradling Soul's head in her lap, stroking the scraggly white hair and murmuring with words that were drained of all character. In a way, she seemed just as much a ghost as Soul did. After a few more minutes that had all the comfort of removing fingernails, Black Star rushed back into the room._

_"We've got the carriage. We're going." The finality of it left the air in the room frigid and Spirit watched the chill run down Maka's spine from his place standing over her._

_Stein knelt next to Maka and Spirit watched her suddenly become her mother for a moment, that instant flare of fire and fight coming to her eyes. But Stein had always been better with that than him, watching Yaara's rages and letting them fall useless at his feet while Spirit would always wither. "Maka, let me take him," Stein said with an evenness that most would consider cold._

_"Please." The likeness to her mother dissolved as the blur of tears took over those sweet verdant eyes that fell back to the boy in her lap._

_"I'm sorry, Maka." Stein started to pull the boy as gently as he could as Maka kept her hands on Soul until Stein lifted to his feet. Her hands hovered momentarily before they turned into fists and fell with futility to her lap. With that, they disappeared, Spirit the only one left with his daughter._

_The idea of comforting her wasn't alien and everything in him was screaming for it but as he took a step forward, the reminder he was there was enough to make her bristle. "Maka…"_

_"What?" The word trembled but held firm._

_"I'm sorry." It was as much use as a glass of water to a drowning man and received just as well._

_"You can go," Maka hissed._

_"I was going to-"_

_"You can go," she repeated each word with the stiffness of a corpse before he saw that flash of her mother again as she glared up at him._

_"Maka, please, I came to-"_

_"I don't want you." Each word shot from her mouth. "I don't want you here. I don't need you. I need him!" She threw her hand at the door, pointing accusingly. "I need Soul! He's the only one who's never-" Maka cut herself off as she let her hand fall and slap uselessly against her thigh with a trembling groan. "But I can't say that anymore, I can't, I can't," it turned into a wild murmur for a moment before she slapped a hand over her mouth._

_"Maka…" he reached for her and in an instant she exploded, slapping his hand out of the air._

_"Why couldn't it have been you?"_

That was the echo in Spirit's head when he met the scarlet eyes that only flicked to him momentarily as Soul entered the room. He didn't seem intent on Spirit to begin with, continuing past him to stand in front of Crona. Spirit was opening his mouth, ready to bark at the brat to keep away when Soul interrupted the thought instantly with an extended hand.

"I don't think we got a real introduction," Soul's voice was low and soft as he let the hand easily hang between him and Crona. "Soul."

Crona's eyes darted to Black Star standing behind Soul and when he nodded his approval, a happy grin on his face, Crona held out a limp hand. "I'm Crona."

Soul did most of the shaking, Crona watching the connection with wild eyes. After releasing them, Soul jammed his hands back in his pockets, taking another second to eye Crona. "I, uh, about what happened-"

"I'm sorry," Crona blurted. "I'm really sorry, and-"

"Calm down," Black Star barked as he pushed past Soul and grabbed a not completely unwilling Crona by the nape of the neck. "Look at him," he gave Crona another shake. "Does he look mad?"

"No?" Crona looked hopefully at Black Star.

"Then you apologize _once_ , which you did, so cut it out." Black Star released them only to give them a sturdy pat on the back.

"Yeah, don't worry about it," Soul grinned softly at the pair. "I'm… sorry, too."

"What?" Crona blinked at him and both Black Star and Spirit couldn't contain their eyebrows.

Soul shrugged off the disbelief, that smile staying easily on his face. "Maka said you had a pretty tough life and I can guess it hasn't been that much easier. So, I'm sorry."

"Oh, well," Crona looked to Black Star who shrugged just the same. "Thank you."

"Now that's out of the way," Black Star stared glumly at Soul before jutting his chin in Spirit's direction.

This time those red eyes narrowed, staying put after they traveled to Spirit's face. "Spirit."

"Soul," Spirit offered without an ounce of feeling even though it was a thunderstorm in his head.

The pause sat between them for an eternity, eyes locked and faces cool. After a deep breath, Soul finally muttered, "I need you to do me a favor."

"A favor," and while it should have been a question it came off with a biting laugh. "You marry my daughter, send her off-"

"Old man," Black Star barked. "Shut the hell up and listen to him."

"No," Spirit balked. "Why should I? He can lob off my head as King if he wants to but as a father, he has no right to come to me to ask for favors."

"A father?" Soul hissed but Black Star's hand was on his shoulder almost instantly, making him shake it off along with the rage. "It's not for me, it's for your daughter."

Another steely gaze and another round of breaths passed between them. "And why wouldn't she ask me?"

"Because she's fine with being reckless," Soul shot back instantly, "but if I can protect her, I will."

"What does she even have to be reckless about? She's as big as a house now with _your_ babies and-"

"And we need her to exorcise that girl we brought," Soul cut in glumly. "Something that Stein said just her or her mother could perform, and if I had to choose…"

"Yaara won't," Spirit laughed. "You think I dislike you? Her mother's got a particular opinion about _you_."

He couldn't truncate the wave of childishness that swelled in his voice, "She doesn't _know_ me."

"She's seen what your blood has done to her daughter," Spirit came back easily and he watched it lance Soul in the gut. "And I think your best bet is to stay away from her. She's the kind to kill first, ask questions later."

Spirit watched Soul let that churn in his mind and half expected a stomping rush out of the room especially as tight fists appeared at Soul's side. Instead, a soft, deliberate whisper barely squeezed out of his clenched jaw. "I still want you to take me to her."

"I already said, Yaara will kill you," Spirit enunciated each word as if Soul was hard of hearing. _And even if I hate it, Maka losing you again, now… I can't imagine what that'd do to her._

"I'll bet she's not," Black Star answered jovially. "And I think I'd really enjoy her trying."

Spirit looked between both boys, the only slightly less irritating one glowing with a smile while Soul still wore those hard eyes, a solid scowl. "Tonight. After Maka goes to bed."

* * *

Maka was leaning against the window frame, a frustrated groan starting at her lips. There were two entirely conflicting feelings in her legs that she currently had zero control over. The first was that under the skin, creepy crawly shivers, the kind that refused to let her even consider lounging back between the sheets. The other was the frigid tightening which only eased to dull throbs every few breaths and yearned to be pampered by sitting atop piles of pillows. The next sound that rumbled up her throat was somewhere between a mewling sob and grating grunt but she smothered it as soon as she heard the clattering of the tray.

Soul had come in as quietly as he could, a tray of tea in his hands and a secret churning in his gut. Spirit had told him explicitly not to tell her and that wasn't exactly something he was sure he was capable of at the moment, especially after her admonishments the night before. As soon as the unnerving sound came from her he was clacking the tray to the nightside table and rushing to grab her at the window, hands checking for any type of wound.

"I'm alright," she murmured.

"That didn't sound alright," he grumbled. "What is it? What hurts?"

"Everything," Maka offered with an exasperated sigh. "Every last damn thing."

He snorted, "Well, I can't fix everything, but… is it your shoulders? Your neck?" His hand was cautious at first like her skin was nothing more than glass but after a moment he dug purposeful fingers into the muscle above her collarbone.

The pleased groan snuck up on Maka, making pink lightly dust her cheeks. "A little," and she finished it with a soft hum as he rubbed again.

"What else?" He was trying to resist the urge to play at her lips instead, that blush goading him to no end especially as her eyes went half-lidded in what he hoped was pleasure.

"My legs."

He didn't take the hesitation in her voice for a second, just starting to press her back towards the bed. "I think I can fix that."

"Soul…" That feeling lurched in her again, especially as his hands went to her hips to ease her down to the bed, a motion she had many fond memories of.

"Bet it's not that different from after training with Stein." He let out a chuckle as he sat next to her on the bed and pulled her legs into his lap. "Can't say _you_ ever let me do this before but Black Star's had plenty of cramps."

"And you've enjoyed massaging Black Star?" The playfulness in her voice was instantly destroyed as he dug into her calf muscle.

Soul allowed for a dry laugh, "Don't tell him, but I think I prefer you. You do have a nicer set of legs." His words brought just as much heat as his fingers and Maka pressed the back of her hand to her mouth to keep the next sound from escaping.

For his station, this was probably incredibly improper but those were usually the types of things that Soul was best at. His hands worked rough melodies into her skin, breaking up the soreness under each deliberate touch and calming all of the tingling need to move. While the journey started at her calves his fingers climbed, lifting her dress without a second thought and clutching into her thigh one after the other. His eyes seemed intent on his work and that gave her some reprieve since her face refused to cool, one colorful splash after another hitting her cheeks. _Because this is the most he's touched me in months and I… oh, I can't stop thinking about it and-_

"Better?" He turned his head to her with softly raised brows as his roaming hands rested on her thigh.

Maka nodded since her hopeless tongue was tied.

"Doesn't look better," his brows fell to furrowed. "What's that face for?"

"Um," peeped from her throat before she shook her head quickly.

"What is it?" He prodded. "I brought tea but if you need something else…" As Maka tried to shift, Soul was on the move, slipping out from under her legs and moving to sit up against the headboard with her. "Maka, don't be stubborn," he chided hopelessly as he angled his head to get a good look at her eyes.

Maka's hand reached up, sinking into his hair and pulling him only the few inches closer that she needed to catch his lips. She pressed needy at his mouth, forcing her tongue to his only to get a soft hand to her neck, separating their mouths.

"Maka… this is," he sighed wearily. "This is hard for me."

She worried at her lip first, her mind giving a million answers to her question before she asked it. "What is?"

Soul cleared his throat to buy time arranging his words. It was hopeless to get them in a line that made sense so he offered the pathetic bare truth, "Being _gentle_ with you."

" _Gentle_?" It brought a refreshing humor, lifting the weight off her heart and letting her play with the hairs at the nape of his neck in contentment.

" _You know_ ," he grumbled.

"I don't," she teased. "What do you mean?"

He hissed a few curses under his breath before he pulled away far enough to let stern red eyes fall on her. "You're… I haven't _seen_ you in months and before you left," he huffed out pure frustration. "You made me make promises about _beds_ and that was easy while you were away but harder when you're right here."

A sweet sigh spread across her lips to accompany the smile that was already there. "I am in your bed."

"Maka," he griped.

She tugged just slightly on those tiny hairs at the base of his neck, making him grimace even more than the complaint. "What do you want, Soul?"

His sigh was nowhere near sweet, just heaving with dissatisfaction at his own words, "I want you to feel better, feel like yourself again, but I know that you're, well, you're, not exactly… the babies are the priority." Even with her fingers resisting he leaned back and let his head thunk against the wood as he expelled another grunt of air.

Maka let her hand slip out of his hair and drift down to rest on his chest. "Not that I ever thought I would do this, but I think I might have to quote Papa right now."

An unrestrained grimace hit his lips, "Why?"

"Because, for once, I think he was right," Maka shrugged amiable, even though the words were flaked with rust. "You can't just be a parent, and when you are, when the other person isn't there it takes a toll."

"We aren't even parents yet," Soul started ruefully.

"Exactly." Maka flexed her fingers into his shirt, rubbing slightly at the skin underneath. "And I don't expect… well, I don't seem to know…"

The inkling was slow to crawl into the forefront of his mind as he watched her suddenly stumbling over words just as much as he had. Power in moments with her was usually fleeting so he took it when he could and slid that thumb lingeringly against her jawline. "What do _you_ want, Maka?"

Her lip started to curl into a pout and Soul almost forgot his question as she leaned into him, letting her head tuck into the crux of his neck. "I want to… it's selfish but I want to try to find out how much I can stand."

Soul's eyebrows furrowed so hard he was sure he pulled a muscle. "Uh, Maka, what the hell does that mean? _How much you can stand_?"

Hiding her face was the only way she could ease the words from her lips and even then they came out in a tight whine. "I'm not even sure you _can_ touch my breasts because they hurt and, well, they're, not the same, and… I haven't even dared to think about let alone try to, well, you know, but just now, all that rubbing my legs _felt so good_ and I, at least my body definitely isn't making arguments against it."

"You're," Soul cleared the strangeling tightness from his throat, even then he offered a tiny whisper to the ceiling, " _Oh fucking hell_." Soul ran his fingers through her hair, hoping to offer as much comfort to her as he was hoping to leech away himself. "I turned you on?" he winced at the sentence that he could only imagine coming from Black Star's mouth.

Maka didn't seem to be bothered by the phrasing, only nodding against his neck.

"Oh," and Soul repeated that at least a few times as his mind started to threaten to offer each cataclysmic worry. He narrowed them down slowly until he forced the frustrated jumble from his mouth, "Maka, I'm going to do whatever the hell you want but the minute, the _second_ something hurts or doesn't feel right or anything even close to that you have to tell me."

She nodded again quickly.

Soul let out a low, thoughtful hum that seemed half a groan. Pushing aside the worries was an uphill climb and while his hand trembled as he let one move from her hair to her shoulder, his mind was falling into steady resolve because if there was something Maka wanted, Soul's only job was to figure it out. He pressed her shoulder softly. "Roll over, on your side. That's more comfortable, right?"

"Away from you?" Maka looked hesitantly up into his eyes as she moved from her hiding place.

"Yeah," he nodded slowly. "It's… a little tight with this between us." Soul risked a tender touch to the curve of her belly. "Not that I think I mind, just the angle might be awkward."

Maka still let the confusion paint her face but she moved as ordered. Soul immediately took the pillow he was leaning into and brought it around her side, tucking it like he'd seen her do a few times to ease the weight. He pulled it lower and with a gentle hand ran down her thigh to her knee, moving it to rest on the padding. "This feels fine," Maka murmured.

"Fine or comfortable?" Soul instantly pushed, snapping at the weakness of the word.

"Comfortable," Maka corrected. "You're worrying."

"You're surprised by that?" he managed a weak laugh.

"No, just," Maka sighed, "I want you to enjoy yourself, too."

A sigh that spoke of a million daydreams drifted against her ear as he pressed his chest to her back, his nose nuzzling almost at her earlobe. "Trust me, if I can manage not to hurt you I will enjoy the hell out of this." That came with a sweet kiss to her hairline at the nape of her neck. As he spread a few more there, his hand moved to struggle with her dress, freeing it from being tucked into the bed enough that he could get the fabric up to the curve of her hip bone. His fingers danced along the back of her thigh, nudging that knee just a hair higher.

He situated himself a little higher and dug his arm into the pillow above her head, awkwardly tensing at his wrist so he could toy with some of the hair at her forehead. "Tell me," he murmured the order again.

Maka turned her eyes to his as her hand came over top of his just to momentarily hold it in place. "I don't think you can hurt me." That didn't come as a soft whisper nor was there any hint of doubt to it and it bought her another sweet, lingering press of his lips as his body fit against hers in the only way that still felt like it used to.

His hand slipped out from underneath hers, going back to roaming the smooth skin of her thigh back up to the curve of her ass to squeeze. The act forced a heated sigh from his lips and when Maka pushed back against him she was pleased to find nothing had really changed and his body was in no way disagreeing with the arrangement as a new pressure sprung up between them. "Fuck," he groaned out before sinking into the crux of her neck, lips and teeth plucking at her skin. On the next glide of his hand, his trail changed and his fingers smoothly drifted between her legs, ample space provided by the propped up knee.

Maka hummed out a moan as she bit her lip. A chill ran up her back as he slowly teased along the edge, making the next sound burst from her mouth with a start as he just dipped between them.

Soul paused with his mouth tensed next to her ear. "Too much?"

"No," the whine that wanted to follow surprised her almost as much as his finger flirting with splitting her again. "It's… it feels different."

"Bad different?" he was still again and it was killing her, forcing Maka to press her hips back and make him delve between them, fingers almost flexing at her clit. "Maka," he half scolded.

"It's _more_ ," she muttered, words not fitting what she was feeling. It was pins and needles. It was pure want. It was every time he had ever touched her all in one. "Keep _going_ ," was the only rational demand she could make and it brought a chuckle to his lips.

Soul shouldn't have expected any less than being ordered about and he fell into that old pattern of her body, painting a rhythm of slow circles that had her pressing hard breaths into the pillow. It was barely any work at all before her legs were quivering around his hand, her breaths short and broken by trembling moans. "Maka," his low whisper buzzed in her ear, and honestly, he was so taken by her, by being close again and feeling that steady hum off of her that he lost any last bit of sense and only repeated her name softly a few more times. She interrupted him with a low, shuddering cry as her hand jumped down to hold his steady, stopping those practiced motions of his fingers.

While he most certainly hadn't been lying, the idea that he'd hear that fulfilled moan from her making him entirely content, the hitch of air from her throat after forced it to crumble all away. "Maka?" He scrambled to free his hand and lean over her shoulder, getting only a sneaking view of her face as she pressed it into the pillow. "Fuck, did that hurt? Are you hurt?" He tugged at her shoulder, forcing her to show him the sunshine and storm on her face.

Maka's smile was wide but her eyes were completely clouded with tears. She had to sniffle before she could get the words out of her mouth. "No, it's fine, Soul, it's… _perfect_." Her hand reached to his cheek, bringing him down to taste the salt on her lips. "I… that's the first time I've felt normal in… well, since I left you. And to be totally honest I'm never able to contain these tears anymore. They have a mind of their own."

Soul let his forehead drift to hers, pressing a sigh near her lips. "I'm sorry it's been so hard."

"It's not your fault," she murmured.

"Doesn't mean I can't feel bad about it," he shot back quickly. "And sure as hell doesn't mean that I'm not going to try to make it better. What else can I do?"

The breath trembled over her lips again, threatened by a sob but not entirely unpleasant in the face of his sweetness. "You can let me do the same for you."

"I'm fine," he said quickly. "You don't need to worry about that."

Maka placed a firm hand on his neck, getting him far enough away that he could see the threatening in her eyes. "You're trying to tell me right now that _you're_ not turned on?"

"I'm…" and before he could even try to generate the nerve to lie to her she was pressing back against him, proving her point as he was still very firmly poking into her, enough so that the friction brought a tempting groan to his mouth. "Alright, I get it, but…" he let out a withering sigh especially as she raised her eyebrows in little humor for his answer, "... I'm not… while I _want_ to, I'm not exactly sure I'm going to be able to not worry about, _you know_."

Her eyes blinked up at him as her mind slowly translated his usual terror truncated language. "Help me out of bed."

He was dazed, glancing around the room as if expecting to find reasoning there. "Out of bed?"

"Just what I said," she repeated with little patience, starting to roll back to her side so she could get an arm underneath her to press up. Soul was out of bed in a flash, coming to the bedside to give her the extra strength to get to standing. As soon as she had the momentum, Maka was pulling him over towards the desk. "I've never done this before," her eyes were steadily focused on his shirt and her voice strained under the embarrassment, "so you'll have to tell me."

"Tell you what?" His confusion only deepened as she sat slowly in the chair, her hands drifting down his shirt until they settled on his waist.

"If it's alright." Without warning of ceremony, she tugged firmly on his pants, his erection not making the glide entirely smooth as he hissed as it caught.

"Maka, what are you-" It suddenly became an entirely stupid question as she used one hand on his hip to pull him a step closer and the other to grasp at the base of his shaft, making his tip hover closely to her lips. A warbled moan left his lips as her tongue flicked out and tasted him. "Oh, _shit_." His legs tightened and dedicated restraint just stopped his hips from jutting forward. Her fingers tightened their grip against his hip, allowing a slow motion to move him forward to produce a gentle guide of her lips along his length as low hum thrummed in his chest.

Her mouth was a burning heat and her tongue was drawing lazy, lingering lines over the most sensitive of skin. Those first few strokes were hesitant, slow and languishing but as Maka moved her hand to cup his ass, the squeeze elicited a flex of his hips that he couldn't deny. While Maka seemed to accept the motion, he quickly grasped into her hair, bringing her back with a hiss. "Slow," he was reminding himself as much as he was her.

With a perfect pop of her lips, she released him for a moment. "It was fine, Soul."

"Your teeth weren't fine," Soul murmured back with a pained smile.

"Oh," she stared up at him. "Sorry."

"No," he urged back. "Just… careful. Other than that it feels," he let a rough sigh say the words for him as he looped his fingers tightly in her hair.

"Then stay still," she teased not just with her voice but with her hand, gliding along his length, sliding easily from the lubrication.

"Oh," he groaned.

She watched his eyes roll back as her hand pumped him a few more times. Just as another moan hit his lips, Maka let her lips join her fingers, now very aware of the thin line between that and sharp teeth. While he had cautioned her, after a few minutes he was pushing again as weak breaths broke low rumblings from his chest that, to her, were nothing more than cute little growls. She'd laugh at him later since at the moment he was looking down at her finally, red eyes storming with month's worth of stockpiled desire. As his fingers flexed into her hair, he let out one last aching groan as her mouth filled with an unexpected warmth.

"Here," he panted out as he reached behind her, moving a small hand rinsing basin on the desk to within her reach. "Spit." Maka listened, not exactly overjoyed with the flavor or the sensation but certainly still humming with pride especially as he just pulled his pants up enough to collapse between her legs, resting his head on her knee with a rough sigh. "I wasn't expecting that."

Maka twittered out a laugh as her hand ran through his hair. "But it was fine?"

" _Fine_ ," he huffed. "Fine definitely doesn't fit." His hands ran along her legs, threatening to massage into her skin again. "I'm just…" he lifted his head, staring up at her and catching her with eyes that glowed like a smoldering coal. "I'm only whole when you're with me."

Those tears with wills of their own were back and Maka shook her head softly, "You're ridiculous. Next you'll be writing me poetry."

"Not poetry," he laughed softly, "but I have something for you at home, when we get there, which should probably be soon, right?" A tentative hand rubbed at the swell just in time to catch another flurry of kicks, leaving Maka grimacing momentarily.

"I think they agree," Maka grunted. "Well, once the exorcism is done, we'll go."

"About that," he sighed as her eyebrows instantly furrowed. "If someone else could do it, would you let them?"

Any last dregs of humor left her face and Maka frowned at him, "I thought you said that I was allowed to fight-"

"You are," he cautioned, "but neither of us knows how much it'll take out of you and with the babies…"

"Soul," she hissed.

"I'm only saying," he clutched her hand, trying to urge peace with a thumb rubbing over her knuckles, " _if_ I can find someone else, wouldn't it make sense to save your strength?"

Her cool glare after such warm moments was not what he wanted but it was all she could give as she murmured, "Who else is there?"

"I'm looking into it," he shot back quickly, still rubbing at her hand. "I'm going out tonight to talk to someone."

"Someone," Maka echoed.

Spirits admonishments and hers mingled as a yell in his head. The truth seemed impossible but after all his transgressions since she had gotten home, so did the lie. He sighed, but as his mind fed him back the memory of the joy from just a few minutes ago he withered in defeat, "Your mother. I asked your father to take me to see her."

For a moment, everything about her had turned to ice, from her skin to even the breath that managed to let the words out, "Why would you do that?"

Soul got to his feet quickly so he could cup her face and force some of the coolness out of her with heated fingers urging at her jawline. "I'm not going there to fix what she did. You want her, him as your business and I'm only accepting that because that's what you want but _if_ I think there's a way to protect you, I don't care who I have to talk to, what I have to do, I do it."

"She could kill you," Maka murmured.

"Black Star's excited by that prospect," Soul offered with a pathetic huff of a laugh, "but I'm not looking for that to happen."

"You are if you go there," she snapped back frankly.

"What can I do?" He slipped his hands into her hair, bringing her forehead to his. "I meant what I said, you're the rest of me, Maka, and while I know you can do it on your own, maybe I'm not as comfortable with taking the chance as I was before."

"Why?" her voice was suddenly soft and her hands had clasped over his.

"Because maybe… I was still thinking it was just you," he murmured. "Seeing you now, feeling the babies, being with you again, it's fucking driving that old protective urge haywire," he finished that with a grunt of a laugh. "Let me be your guard dog, just this once. Next one you can beat me down and say no, but, with the babies, you, I need to do this."

"Are you asking for my permission?"

"Kinda, yeah," he laughed softly, "but I'm gonna guess I'm in the doghouse either way and that's… for now if you want to be mad at me, that's fine. I'll take it."

Her fingers moved from his hands, up to his arms until they jumped in towards his chests to make worrying little fists in the fabric. She was silent, and he was ready to take that as her anger and he tilted his head to try to offer her a sweet kiss of an apology when the words barely came above a whisper, "If she hurts you, she's not my mother anymore." He could taste the pain of it as she bridged the rest of the gap, giving him all the woeful permission he wanted.


	42. Chapter 42

Black Star hung behind, eyeing Soul walking in step with Spirit. While he was usually not one to read a room, the two of them were making the air thick with _something_ and all he could hope was that the journey to find Yaara was short before whatever boundary that was keeping this mess at bay disintegrated.

"How's Maka doing?" Spirit broke the heavy silence.

As he pulled in a slow inhale, Soul considered his options which all brought him as much excitement as a lecture from his mother. "She's uncomfortable," he offered with as much honesty as he could stand.

"Of course, but…" Spirit sunk a deep sigh into it before throwing the next comment at him. "Her mood, I meant."

"Her mood for you?" Soul snapped back before shaking his head. "Because other than breakfast have you two talked to each other?"

"She's busy with her husband," Spirit tried not to make that a hiss but the clench in his jaw still squashed the words.

Soul felt Black Star's hand slapping at him but he shrugged it off, letting the sour words off his tongue. "Do you blame her?"

"I blame _you_ ," he huffed back easily and started to quicken his steps, trying to leave the conversation behind.

While Black Star was taking the space left behind, trying to ease Soul back with a slap of his hand to his chest, serenity was impossible to force. "For what?" Soul squeezed between his teeth. "It's not like _I_ got in the way of your happy little family."

"You wouldn't know," Spirit muttered over his shoulder.

"Then let me know," Soul ordered back. "I'd love to know so that I can avoid hurting her the way both of you have."

"Are we close yet?" Black Star snapped between them. "It seems like it's taking an awfully long time to find Yaara and I can't imagine she'd be that far."

Spirit bit back what he had for Soul and grumbled out, "She moved further away yesterday. I think she might be avoiding more than just us."

Soul opened his mouth but Black Star shut it with a firm punch to his shoulder before filling the air, "Bet that's her campfire I smell though."

"The flame's low but you can see it." Spirit kicked some of the underbrush, once again sure that making any sort of sound wasn't going to spook her. If he knew Yaara, she was already brandishing a weapon. "You should stand back," he muttered to Soul.

"I want to walk out first," Soul corrected even with another hit from Black Star. "I swear, it'll be fine."

"Fine?" Black Star scoffed. "There's no chance in hell you're a match for her. Spirit goes first and you and I stay side by side."

"No," Soul shook his head. "I'm the only one she hasn't met yet and I'm sure both of you have already put a foot in your mouth with her."

"And you think you won't?" Black Star stole the words from Spirit's mouth. "Your temper-"

"Is fine," he hissed, leaving both men eyeing him unconvinced. Soul huffed as he pressed past Spirit and Black Star was immediately on his tail, a hand reaching for his shoulder. "Black Star," Soul turned and stopped, letting his hand reach him along with his furrowed brow. "Don't. Let me do this."

Black Star's nostrils flared with a few breaths before he gritted his teeth. "I swear, she _touches_ her weapon-"

"Not even then," Soul urged back. "I'm serious."

 _Maka will murder me,_ came as a fleeting thought but Soul's face said he'd do the same. Futility sunk into Black Star's gut like a stone.

Soul turned back towards the scent of the fire and continued through the brush until the light broke and he saw the pale glow against Yaara's face.

"You idiots make too much noise," Yaara scolded as she poked at the fire. Her eyes lazily drifted around until they settled on Soul. "So you've come this time."

"I have," Soul took another step forward, the heat from her glare contesting that of the fire. "I needed to speak to you."

"I don't have anything to say to you," Yaara cut quickly before looking at Spirit. "I can't believe you even brought him here."

Spirit shook his head slowly as he rested his arms across his chest. "Just remember Maka's wishes."

That earned him a glare made of acid, but it didn't fizzle away the resolve on Spirit's face.

 _Remember to ask Maka what her damn wishes are_ , Soul noted with a deep breath to break that tremble in his gut. He swallowed all the hatred and for a moment channeled his mother, trying to imagine the angle of social niceties needed. "I don't have any right to ask for your help, but I'm going to imagine that you came here because you _want_ to help, not me, but at least your daughter."

Eyes like steel stared unblinking at him without a word.

 _For all the ways that face reminds me of Maka, all the rest of her feels wrong. Like there's no way this is anyone close to Maka._ "Stein said that it was a choice between you and her to exorcise this witch from a girl-"

"Why didn't you just kill it?" Yaara offered indifferently.

"It's still a kid," Soul found it a squawking objection, his emotions still getting the better of him.

"And exorcising leaves you with another fight on your hands," Yaara shook her head. "Kill the child, the witch has no choice but to die. Exorcise her and you're giving her enough corporal existence that she'll be a pain in the ass. It's a simple choice."

Soul was starting a few steady footfalls to her and Black Star was stuck, trying to follow orders but also watching the movement at Yaara's belt, her hand on her sword. "I guess you don't have any fucking qualms about killing a kid but I do. And it's not even about that girl, it's about your damn daughter. If you don't do it, she's going to and that puts her and the babies in danger when it's fucking unnecessary."

"He's got a worse mouth than you," Yaara's voice was tight even as her smile was playfully shining at Black Star. "Take your friend away from here or I'll show him the kind of fight I do want. Because without him around, I don't think I have to worry about my daughter."

"Yaara," Spirit started to caution but Soul's voice blistered above it all.

"It wasn't until she got pregnant that it even mattered to you," his accusation fell firm, and with each word his tone turned closer to stone. "You were here _before_ the wedding and you did nothing to stop it."

Spirit's eyes darted to Yaara's face at the accusation, "Is that true?"

Her lips tightened but not even air released from her.

Soul's voice was now a low, thrumming constant alive with cold anger. "And the only reason you came back after the wedding was because Mira said Maka might be pregnant. After that you waited-"

"For Maka to be alone, to be vulnerable," Spirit finished for Soul as he echoed his own indictment.

"She is making the same mistake I did," Yaara spit the words out like venom. "I wanted to keep her from that, keep her from _you_ ruining-"

Soul ignored the rest of it easily, his deep grumble overwhelming her voice, "She's not making the same mistake because she is nothing like you."

"What would a demon like you know anyway?"

The blade was on a perfectly dropped arch just as the bitter question left Yaara's lips. Black Star calculated the trajectory, the way the sword was swinging from the scabbard, the way it would hit Soul right at the hip and considerately splitting him in two. The next measure was where Black Star could interject his own sword to somehow stop the flow before guts spilled but in the middle of all of his calculations came a hand, Soul's hand. While Black Star said a prayer of woe for Soul's fingers, delicate, beautiful things that he knew were never going to play the organ again, the swing stopped as the blade cracked.

Soul's hand flexed around the edge, allowing for a fine line of black blood to soak his palm and start a small trickle down his arm. "Don't call me that. But if you want to find out how close I can come, try to swing that sword again."

Black Star barely held in the guffaw, his mind half-mad from the absolute inability to comprehend how skin had stopped steel but also just the idea that Soul would have that much cool in him. _Maybe he's not a hopeless case after all._

"Yaara," Spirit started.

Her eyes were wild between the splattered black and Spirit's cautioning eyes. "I don't care-"

Spirit's voice was calm and slow, "Look at his hand, Yaara."

"I see it!" She hissed back. "That's what I warned you about, the-"

"His finger," Spirit sighed as if exhausted and came behind Soul, pointing just as exasperatedly as his words had.

Yaara's eyes focused on the engraved gold band Soul was wearing on his ring finger and just as they settled they popped wide.

"That's your ring," Spirit stopped for a rueful snort of a laugh. "He's wearing your ring."

"That doesn't mean anything," she murmured back breathlessly.

Soul risked a glance Spirit's way. "What doesn't she want it to mean?"

Spirit offered the first smile he ever had to Soul. "Means you're not cursed."

"But the blood," Soul was just as bedazzled as Yaara, the words barely leaving his mouth. "The black blood's…"

"Something else," Spirit shrugged, "but isn't making you any less human. The ring would have killed you, melted through that finger since that's the one thing I didn't romanticize for Maka. It's real protection from demons and witches." He sent his glare back to Yaara, "Unless you want to tell me you don't see the magic on it anymore? And don't lie. It'd piss me off if we walked back to the castle and Stein had something different to say."

"I don't give a shit about Stein or _you_ ," she hissed.

"Which means it's still working fine," Spirit nodded. "Are you done with your temper tantrum now? Will you listen to the boy?" As he tried to move towards Yaara's side she stepped away from him while Soul let her sword fall from his hand. "Because if he's human, the babies are too, Yaara. They might have a little taste of what he's carrying but if that ring's not reacting it's something different from a curse, something controlled and probably, from the looks of it, powerful. Which means the only fear now for Maka is one Soul's already squashed - she's nothing like you. Even more important, he's nothing like me."

"And I should be surprised that you want that same boring life for my daughter that you wanted for me?" Yaara rolled her eyes wildly as she choked back a laugh that was halfway to a sob. "You want her strangled by motherhood? Wasting her talents to sit on a gilded throne instead?"

"I don't make choices about her life," Spirit said softly. "I can complain about it all I want, but I have no opinion, no sway, and neither do you. We both don't deserve that. What we deserve to do is whatever she needs or asks of us, and Soul's not wrong in his request. You should help her."

Yaara shook her head bitterly, "Kill the child. Don't bother."

Spirit offered Soul a withering sigh, "That's your answer."

Soul chewed over the idea and bitterly shook a splatter of black from his hand. The tingle of the droplets hitting the ground teased at the back of his neck especially as the aching heat started to rise in his chest. His fist squeezed and emitted a few more beads before he brought his eyes back to Yaara. "Then I want to ask you to do something else."

Yaara laughed incredulously, "What makes you think I'll do _any_ favor for you?"

"It's for Maka," he gritted through his teeth. "Come talk to her. Ask her if she wants you to stay for the babies."

"What?" Black Star erupted as he slapped a solid hand into Soul's shoulder. "No fucking way. This bitch-"

"Is her mother," Soul set the words firmly between them, his eyes soberly focused on Black Star's face. "And you said yourself, Maka makes her own decisions with this. All I'm asking is you give her a chance to make it."

Yaara worked at her lip as she breathed slowly through her nose, clearing anything left from her eyes before she replied flatly, "What about your guard dog?"

"Who?" Spirit looked to Soul.

"The big guy who's been staying with the girl," Soul muttered. "I'll talk to him."

Her eyebrows lifted slowly, "You think you can keep him on a leash?"

"No leash," Soul shook his head. "But he repays favors. I'll see what he wants in exchange."

Spirit suddenly found himself hating the entire moment especially as Yaara's face softened. She sighed, "Come back in a few days. Tell me if your dog will stand down."

"Fine." Soul let that be the end of it, turning quickly on his heels and starting back the way they came without another word from his lips. There wasn't an option for pleasantries as he finally let his blood come to boiling, all of the vitriol he'd held back bubbling between his teeth with a few seething breaths. They'd barely made it to the edge of the forest when Black Star finally broke into a jog to match steps with Soul.

Black Star watched it rage on Soul's face but couldn't help his own contempt from spraying off his lips. "You know she wanted your babies dead, right? And now you invite her to _stay_?"

"It's Maka's decision," Soul muttered.

"Again, _dead_ ," Black Star spit. "Wanted Maka to run off with her just like she did before and leave you high and dry, no love, no kids, no _nothing_ , and she's-"

"Her mother!" Soul yelled helplessly as he turned towards Black Star, flinging up his hands in a shaking rage. "You think I like it? You think I want her there? You think I even wanted to look at her face tonight? No," he groaned out the word painfully as he let his hands tug at the roots of his hair. "But you didn't _see_ her before I left, the absolute fucking heartbreak in her eyes when she chose me over her mother. She said if Yaara hurt me that she wasn't her mother anymore and I've never-" the words caught in his throat, sputtering off into another agonizing moan.

"You told Maka?" Spirit interjected quickly as he stood dumbfounded behind Black Star.

"Of course I did," Soul sighed. "I don't keep things from her and I don't run her life. If she told me she was going to do the exorcism on her own I would have… I would have hated it but I would have let her. I'm just glad she wasn't so fucking stubborn this time." He expected some kind of reaction out of Spirit, maybe a complaint at the accusation against his daughter's character or some kind of sarcastic snip about the likelihood of Soul ever swaying her but nothing came. Spirit just stared at him, frozen as a statue.

Because the worst thing had just happened to the older man: he was suddenly realizing he didn't hate his son-in-law all that much.


	43. Chapter 43

Free was starting to hate this pastime that he'd assigned himself to, especially as Medusa continued to fail to produce anything interesting. She was ingrained in that girl's skin so well that it was almost easy to feel sorry for the sordid little thing sitting on the dungeon's icy cobblestone. _Almost._ The sound of footsteps echoing down the stairwell should have brought him to standing but he wanted a challenge, continuing to lay on his back with his feet up against the wall. As he saw the white hair crest the doorframe, Free sighed with the boredom of it all. "Hello, Soul."

"Everything alright?"

Something close to pleased hit Free in the gut at the genuine concern on Soul's face. _Ah, it's stupid, but I like him. He's stupid, too, but still alright in his own way._ "Fine. Bored. Have we made a decision?"

"Maka's going to do the exorcism." That came with a sickly sigh but Soul tramped it down quickly. "I need to ask you about something else though."

"Oh?" This brought Free to his side and then up on his elbow.

"A favor," Soul answered hesitantly.

"Do tell," Free crooned with his wolfish smile. He was now up on his haunches, eyes finally fully off the little girl with an attention on Soul that was something close to a fox watching a hen.

"Maka's mother wants to come and visit her. I need you not to kill her."

Free's smile crinkled into a frown but instead of letting his first thought hit his lips, he slowed, tilting his head and letting the idea rumble through his brain. "For how long?"

Soul took his own time to ponder that, releasing the verdict with a painful sigh. "At least until Maka gives birth."

A thoughtful hum buzzed from Free as he bounced twice on his haunches before jumping to his feet. "And what do I get if I don't?"

"Name it," Soul offered without hesitation and Free's smile surged back.

Free's eyes sparkled as he rubbed a hand into the younger man's hair, catching him by surprise and making him expel something halfway between a grunt and a yelp. "You're getting better at this, prince."

"Better at what?" Soul grumbled as he pressed the other man away.

"Negotiation. Or maybe I should say worse in general but better with me," Free finished with a hearty laugh. "Don't make these kinds of offers to anyone else or you'll lose the shirt off your back."

Soul managed half a smile before he shook his head. "No one else could put up half the fight you can so you're the only one I'm offering my shirt to. So what is it? What do you want?"

"A favor."

He raised an eyebrow at the quick but obvious answer. "Yeah, but what?"

"A future favor from each one of your twins," Free clarified playfully.

A chill ran over Soul's previously good-natured stare and Free actually suppressed the goosebumps that wanted to break on his neck. "What do you want from my kids?"

"Hey, hey," Free answered amiably. "I'm just saying that I want each one of them to do me a favor when I ask for it. I live forever, remember, so I just want a little security down the line, that's all." Free leaned closer, letting the whispered words only hit Soul's ear, "They're both going to be more powerful than you or the princess put together and I can't wait to be a part of that."

Soul couldn't decide between the ice that was trying to stop up his gut or the fire in his chest that was threatening to make the air burst from his lungs. There was that deep-seated urge to protect but Free's prophetic utters had him trembling. _Stronger than me and her? Both of them? And what the hell could Free want from them?_ "We'll have to ask the princess," Soul barely let the words eke from his lips.

Free let his eyes go to the little girl before coming back to Soul. "Go get that little friend of yours. The spunky one. Have him watch the girl for a little so that we all can have a chat."

He nodded and sauntered back the way he came before stopping at the foot of the stairs. "Black Star," Soul called up and flash the other man was there, looking between the two of them.

"He agree?"

"Gotta ask Maka," Soul muttered.

Black Star whistled playfully, "You're whipped."

Soul nudged him as he walked past and started for the bottom stair. "Watch the girl for a second."

"Sure." Black Star started the chuckles and continued as he walked past Free. "Good luck with Maka."

Free raised an eyebrow but not much else as he followed Soul up the stairs and through the various halls and turns. "You know this place awful well."

Soul turned his head over his shoulder, showing that sweet grin that would make Maka melt. "I spent a few years here as a kid. So did Maka and Black Star."

Free whistled absently before questioning, "A crowned prince living in a vassal's castle?"

"Not crowned," Soul's voice fell to a murmur. "My older brother was alive then."

"I'm sorry," and Free meant it especially as Soul offered a much more somber smile over his shoulder again.

"Me too," came the quick and last answer, leaving only silence to follow in their wake. As they approached the room, Soul slowed before turning to him. "Give me a second with her."

"Sure." Free wanted to be amused but that solemn chill was still dragging down the prince's face.

Soul left him there, opening the door and quickly shutting it behind him. Maka had been less frantic than he expected, but she had been waiting by the window and had seen the group return, all heads intact so she hadn't let all of the worries run away with her. When she saw his face she couldn't stop the wellspring from starting again, "Tell me you're OK."

"Fine," he murmured as he moved towards her, gathering her into his arms and reveling for just a moment in her warmth. "I'll tell you about it in a minute but there's something you and I have to discuss with Free."

"The wolfman?" Maka questioned as she raised her head from his chest. "Why?"

"You'll see," Soul muttered. "Free, you can come in."

Free did as he was told but slowly, flashing an almost bashful look in Maka's direction. He'd stay in the dungeon since they got there and nothing had passed between him and the girl and to see her now, heavy with child and reeking of the scent of worry he didn't much have the urge to look her in the eye. "Didn't take much time, prince, so I assume you didn't ask her first."

"I'll explain what I want and you explain what you want," Soul replied simply as he tightened his grip around Maka's waist. "Your mother wants the chance to talk to you. I want to give her that and more chances if it goes well so I asked Free if he'd keep himself in check while she's here."

Maka narrowed her eyes at him, "So we're making a deal with him not to kill my mother _for now_? Is there something I'm missing? He's wearing that collar…"

"And I bet it'll work but not forever," Soul sighed, "and to tell you the truth I like him. I don't think killing him is possible but being friends with him… I think we could make that work. But we make deals, that's Free's way."

She had a million arguments but the resolve on his face told her that this was a moot point. Instead, she turned her intense glare towards Free, who still had a steadier focus on the floor than her eyes. "Then what is it you want in exchange?"

"A future favor from each one of your twins," this time the admittance came quietly, slow, and without half the fun he'd had saying it the first time.

"The babies?" Maka clutched at the globe of her stomach, shooting her eyes back to Soul.

"That's why I brought him up here," Soul spoke softly, his free hand coming to touch her cheek. "I'm not making deals about the kids without you obviously, but he wants them to just owe him one each."

Maka's eyes started to go wide as the panicked thoughts ran over her mind. "And what if that something's their lives or-"

"Nothing like that, princess," Free butted in quickly. "Like I said to Soul, they're both going to pack a punch and not saying that I'd serve them or anything but I don't think I'd mind this friends thing."

She brushed away Soul's hand then tried to use her own to clear the confusion. "Are you saying you want to be _friends_ with our children but you want them to owe you? I… this is _insane_ ," she threw at Soul.

"He lives forever," Soul said with a shrug, "so he'll definitely be around and look at him. He's no stranger to a fight and having that on our side..."

"So you want to give him free rein with our children?" Maka spat back.

Free suddenly wished he could dissolve into the wall.

" _A_ favor," Soul urged back, "just one. And he's already said it won't hurt them."

"So he says," Maka snapped before she turned her head back to Free. "And how am I supposed to trust the man that tried to kill both of us when he says he won't hurt my children?"

"Same reason I'd trust that you'd keep your side of the deal," Free finally brought his eyes to Maka's, feeling her intensity but holding it. "Same reason why I haven't used my magic on you even though…" He reached his hand behind his head and casually snapped the back of the collar, letting it flimsily flop to the floor. It was exactly as he could have hoped for: terrified surprise hit Maka's face but Soul's remained unchanged besides a knowing smile stretching across his lips.

Soul's hand squeezed Maka tighter around the waist, not as an act of protection but instead to bring her eyes to him instead of the scene and catch the serene smile on his face. "I was guessing she'd do that before we left. Was I right?"

"Very right," Free laughed. "Want to guess when?"

His smile faded as he worked over the options in his mind, "Probably that first night you watched her."

Free refused to give up the game yet, his eyebrows raising playfully. "Was that your little test - leaving me alone with her?"

"Sort of." Soul paused to risk a glance at Maka, finding her slowly coming down from the fear as her eyes were narrowing at him, figuring the puzzle of the moment just as much as the puzzle that was Soul. "Though, to be honest, I never considered anything a done deal with you. You like to surprise. So when was it?"

Free's lips stretched into a devious smile, "She had Stein do it during one of his Madness sleeps before you even caught her. Can't say I asked for it, but it was a nice gift."

"Then don't you owe her?" Maka let the last little bit of fear stay latched on.

"I didn't kill her when we caught her. That's fair enough to me." While that smile was still there it was cooling and the icy tone of it would have set Maka's teeth on edge if it wasn't for the subject.

Soul slipped away from Maka, standing close enough that he could bridge the gap with a hand outstretched between them. "Am I safe in assuming that means you've picked a side?"

"I like all of you well enough." While Free's answer still rang a little too noncommittal for Maka's taste, his shake to Soul's hand spoke the opposite. "But does that mean we have a deal?"

"Maka?" Soul offered over his shoulder as he turned his head.

Maka let out a frustrated sigh as she rubbed at her stomach. "Just a favor? And you swear it'll never hurt them?"

"Swear," Free nodded.

 _What do you think?_ Maka pressed her palms into the sides of her belly. _If there was ever a time to speak up, now would be it because I'm promising something of yours and it doesn't really feel like mine to give._ There was calm, easy silence, for once not a kick to be felt and Maka took that as law. "Fine."

"And I know it probably doesn't mean much, princess," Free bowed his head slightly, "but I'm sorry for the fight. Told Soul I wouldn't have harmed a hair on your head if I knew," he motioned towards Maka's stomach, "but again, doesn't make much of a difference."

"It's enough," Maka murmured. "Now would you please excuse me and my husband? We need to talk."

"Of course," Free added one more bow for good measure especially as he saw the delayed fear hit Soul's face. _Oh, he's in for it!_ He had to shelve a chuckle until he got out of the room.

Soul stood in the silence with his back to her, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

"If you are wrong," Maka started slowly, words so even that he could tell each was rigid with white rage, "I am going to tear you limb from limb, Soul, and that is a promise."

He was pleased by her restraint, sure that she had much more drastic imagery circling her brain. Soul turned to her, finding the tight lips that told him she was currently unkissable but he scooped her into his arms anyway. "Acceptable," he laughed softly but saw it didn't stick as her eyebrows remained furrowed. "Do you want to know what happened with your mother or are you busy being angry?"

"Both," Maka grumbled.

Soul snorted a laugh, "Alright. Bad news or good news first?"

"Bad, though with how much good I expect-"

He silenced her with a thumb pressed to her lip so he could cup her cheek in the same motion. "She hates me. She won't do what I asked because she knows it's easier just to kill the kid and that's that for her. But…" his sigh was desperately sweet as he brought his forehead to hers, "The ring you gave me, the fact that I can wear it… it means I'm not cursed. I'm not ruined and neither are our babies."

He had expected some sweet relief from her but only found scolding in her voice, "Soul, you were never _ruined_."

"Fine," he laughed before correcting, "I'm not some kind of horrible demon monster and neither are our kids. We're… human. Normal as we'll ever be and the black blood… while it's probably something that's gonna take some work to understand it's not terrible."

"I feel like I already knew that," Maka finally let the smile take over the anger on her lips, "but did Mama actually say that to you?"

"No," Soul pulled back with a weak laugh. "Your dad did, though. I don't think Yaara wanted to realize the truth, but Spirit said it for her."

Maka raised an eyebrow before that smile stretched to a smirk, "Does that mean Papa and you are getting along?"

"That's probably a no, too," Soul sighed, "but for what it was, it wasn't so bad. None of us killed each other, which I guess was better than expected."

Some of her smile faded as she ran her fingers over his chest, smoothing the fabric but not the feelings in her heart. "I'm sorry that-"

"No," Soul stopped her immediately. "There's nothing for you to be sorry for." He sealed that with a gentle kiss, relieved to find her eager to accept it as her fingers clutched into his shirt.

Maka let that start to unwind her but when he pulled away she still let out a sigh. "Did she hurt you?"

"Cut my hand," Soul tried to pass off inconsequentially but her hand was instantly pulling open his.

"How?"

Soul grumbled out a groan as he let her spread his fingers and examine his palm."Sort of had to grab her sword so…"

"Because grabbing a sword is something you do often," Maka narrowed her eyes at him. "Did she swing at you?"

"Well, yeah," Soul winced.

"Soul!" Maka huffed out but he was quick to tighten his hold on her, keeping her in place against his chest.

"Maka, stop," it was an order and it forced her instantly still. "What you said, that her hurting me means she's not your mother anymore… I can't let you do that. I know I don't necessarily _let_ you do anything, but this one, I gotta put my foot down."

"That's what you said about going to see her," Maka replied with a glum smile. "You're being the guard dog again and you said _that_ was a _just-this-once_ kind of thing."

He touched her cheek softly as he let a long, slow sigh break his lips. "But this isn't about protecting you. It's about telling you that no matter how I feel about her, I don't think you should let that make your decision for you. Because… even with all the shit she says about me or the babies, she still loves you. I just think it's the same way as my mother - misguided and misplaced." Soul let out a soft laugh before he kissed her, then letting the next bit trickle out against her lips. "And I really don't think you can keep up with the list if you toss away all the people that hurt me or hate me."

"Maybe just the ones that draw blood," Maka murmured.

"Too many," he laughed again. "But all I did was get her to come talk to you, that's all. You don't even have to see her if you don't want to, but I don't want you making that choice because of me. I want you making that to help heal what's in your heart." Soul kissed her again, just a feather of a touch like his fingers running through her hair. "Sleep on it tonight, OK?"

"Alright," she nodded before tucking her head against his chest.

"And then… we'll talk about the exorcism. Try to plan as best we can," Soul sighed before stroking her hair again. "Then we'll go home. I want to take you home and let you relax until it's time. There's… so much I want to show you and - just show how much I love you and I'm ready for this."

Her hands were searching his back, trying to find purchase to steal away the steadiness from his voice. "Ready for what?"

"To be a good husband, a good father," he pressed a desperate kiss to her temple. "And ready to do whatever the hell I have to do to keep us all happy."


	44. Chapter 44

At least the sight was comforting, Maka with her nose practically in the spine of the book and Stein looking on as the dutiful teacher, waiting for his little pupil to pop expectantly back to him with the answer. The idea that she was scouring for the information on a difficult and probably unprecedented magical operation that could quite possibly injure her or their future children wasn't anything close to succor and Soul felt it gnawing at his insides.

"All signs point to her being expelled but with enough energy that _part_ of her should be corporeal," Maka's eyebrows furrowed as she sighed, "and then it should be the regular beheading and burning."

"Should," Soul muttered.

"Should," Maka repeated with a grim smile in his direction.

Soul looked to Stein for some final addition but when he found none he leaned over Maka's shoulder, his eyes falling on the jumbled, nonsensical text on the page before thinking better of it and opting for her face. "Any idea how much power she'll come back with?"

"Well, we have no exact idea how long she's been in the girl," Maka worried at her lip before running a finger down the page, trying to isolate a paragraph, "but even sucking the girl dry should only get her about half power which means…"

"Stein could kill her easily." Soul let that fall with some relief until his eyes turned to the man in question, finding that cool stare without an ounce of excitement.

"While I would hope so," Stein finally slipped his words between theirs carefully. "We shouldn't get ahead of ourselves. It should be all of us available for the fight."

"Especially since…" Maka narrowed her eyes at the page before suddenly getting up, almost clocking Soul in the chin with her shoulder. "I have to ask Free something." Before Soul could even offer an alternative, Maka started resolute footsteps for the door.

He flashed a look at Stein, "Most days she hobbles along now but," he waved a hand at her disappearance through the door.

Stein chuckled, "Give her a fight and she's unstoppable."

"Yeah." The relief hit him in a wave that pushed his feet forward, leaving Stein laughing to himself as he let hurried footsteps echo after hers. He caught up to her on the stairs as she leaned against the stone. "You alright?"

"The babies made it clear that haste is overrated," she answered with a huff.

That sharky smirk cracked his lips as he slid his hands to her waist. "You're beautiful, you know that?"

Maka pressed a hand to his chest with a frustrated sigh, "You're ridiculous. I'm _giant_ and-"

"Determined," he dipped enough to brush her lips between each word, "and capable, and smart and all of that is beautiful." Soul sighed sweetly as he let his hands roam up her back. "And remember, you're still you. The babies are a little in the way but… I still see you as you."

Pink flared on her cheeks as she toyed her fingers in the fabric of his shirt. "I'm looking forward to being _just_ myself again."

He hummed a soft affirmative before pressing his lips to her forehead. "Come on, if the babies act up again I'll carry you down."

"Not necessary," she rolled her eyes at him before slipping from his grasp and starting down the stairs again.

Soul followed close behind, his hand hovering near her lower back since she seemed to zoom ahead again and he struggled to keep up with her even with the pregnancy gait. "Did you have a good idea or a bad idea?"

"Bad," Maka snapped flatly. "I'm hoping Free will tell me I'm wrong."

He chewed that over, letting it fall like to grind like rocks in his gut. They finished the stairs and Soul grabbed her wrist. "Stay here."

Maka turned her head as her eyebrows wrinkled. "Why?"

Soul cleared the tightness from his throat as his eyes darted from her to the end of the hall. "I don't want her to see you until it's totally necessary."

"Soul…" Maka started, a frown tugging on her lips.

"Humor me?" he pleaded with glowing eyes.

She sighed and waved him away.

Soul gifted her another grin before he turned and continued down the hallway, surprised to find Free in very much the same position he found him in last time but with Black Star at his side, both men laying on their backs and staring up at the ceiling. "Did I miss something?" Soul laughed.

"I thought since the clock is ticking down this one would do something interesting," Black Star jutted his chin back at the little girl in the cell. "Nothing so far."

"Not sure if that's good or bad news," Soul sighed. "Hey, Free, Maka has a question for you."

"A question?" Free's ears perked as he rolled onto his side. "What kind of question?"

"She'd have to ask it for me to know," Soul chuckled. "At the end of the hallway." Free gracefully rolled to his feet and started his long stride off in the direction. "You free tonight?"

Black Star raised his eyebrows, "Me?"

"You're the only person here," he smirked.

"Didn't have much planned," Black Star shrugged.

"Let's have a drink."

Black Star let a triumphant grin break over his face. "You mean your wife'll let you go for the night?"

Soul didn't pause to let the other side of his mind reason its way out of this. "I'll put her to bed and then it'll just be you and me."

"Uh…" He sat up quickly, hair bouncing from the momentum before he turned his face up to Soul again. "Mind if we bring Crona?"

"Seriously?" Soul contemplated a laugh but shelved it, seeing the honest set to Black Star's face.

"Yeah," he nodded. "They could loosen up a little. Plus, incentive for Maka to say yes."

He nodded slowly, "Yeah, sure. You, me, Crona."

The excitement swelled and then washed off his face before Black Star tilted his head. "She gonna be OK with you drinking? With her father around, I mean?"

"What?" Soul blinked at him. "What's Spirit got to do with it?"

Black Star let out a rough sigh, "She's fucking impossible."

"What?" Soul repeated with biting urgency.

"He used to be a drunk," Black Star spat back frankly. He let the rest churn over his mind for a second but as he saw the cold rage building in Soul's eyes he couldn't help but let his own come back. "That's why she was at Marie's. Yaara was gone and Spirit wasn't able to take care of her right and Stein found out."

All of Soul was frozen except for a twitch in his jaw as his teeth clamped down.

"Don't worry," he said bitterly. "She didn't tell me. Mostly figured it out on my own because she _is_ impossible. Wants to keep all of us out of it for what?"

Soul let a raspy breath crinkle out of his lips. "Because she doesn't want us feeling sorry for her."

Black Star's lips wrinkled in disgust, " _That's_ it?"

"She said," he muttered.

A few cackling laughs left Black Star's lips, "That's _stupid_!" Another bout followed before he shook his head to knock the last few out. "She's ridiculous."

Soul cleared his throat to stop any more expansion on that front before adding tersely. "I'll ask her if it's alright. Thanks… for letting me know."

Black Star jumped to his feet and grasped Soul by the shirt, giving him a shake. "You jealous again?"

"No," he sighed as he pushed the hand away but Black Star refused to relent, giving him another rattle in return. " _No_. I just…"

"Keep working at her," Black Star ordered as he released Soul. "Crona and I'll pick you up after dark."

"Fine." Soul turned, letting a sigh propel him along the stone floor to where Maka stood, arms crossed and a bitter smile on her face. "What's the verdict?" Soul asked with little faith since as he looked at Free there wasn't a bit of sunshine on his face either.

"I could be right or wrong," Maka pursed her lips before she turned for the stairs and began her steps. Soul trudged after her, listening to the clicks of her heels before her voice sounded again. "I'm worried that's not her first body. She could have leeched off something else first, probably an animal, before finding the girl. We can't guarantee she'll be in some weak state."

"Shit," Soul muttered.

"Well, it's just as Stein said," Maka rolled her shoulders, trying to expel the uneasiness with the motion, "We play it safe. All hands on deck."

Soul grunted in agreement, letting them get a few steps forward before the words unstuck from his throat. "I'm going to drink with Black Star and Crona tonight, if that's alright."

"Crona?" Maka tossed a glance over her shoulder to ensure he saw her furrowed brow. "I'm not sure they drink or _should_ drink but… I'm happy that you'd include them."

He hesitated but gave up the truth, "It was Black Star's idea."

"Huh," Maka let that thought settle before sighing. "Well, please, just make sure you're keeping Black Star from being too pushy with Crona. They're, well, sensitive…"

Soul grabbed her wrist, stopping her steps and bringing her eyes to him. "But you're OK with it?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" She squinted as she tried to read the fine print on his face.

Soul shook his head slowly as he sucked in a breath. "Maka, at the ball…"

Maka let a momentary amusement hit her and a laugh trickled over her lips. "Why are you thinking about that?"

"You asked me if I got drunk a lot," his voice fizzled to a mutter.

She started to pull her hand from him, the tenuous ties meeting in her mind. "I did…"

"And I…" the fussing knot in his chest spurred the sorrowful groan from his mouth. "I told you not to worry but you did, didn't you? You _have_ to worry because Spirit-"

"Soul," Maka was cautioning, chiding but it was only his name she could get in before he continued.

"And when I think about it that moment must have hurt you," each word was like an aching cry off his tongue. "And then that night when I tried to touch you-"

"What he did doesn't matter!" Maka snapped.

"It does," Soul urged back.

Tight fists popped at her sides as her nails pressed crescent moons into her palms but she tried to force sleet into her breath, "All that is the past and it has nothing to do with you."

"It does," he echoed with even more bluntly. "It does when it makes what I do hurt you. If I come back tonight smelling like wine are you going to think of him? Are you going to worry that I'm going to do the same to you that he did?"

"You're being ridiculous," she huffed as she tried to turn but he grabbed her hand again. Her feet stomped in place and she pulled in a sharp breath before exploding at the stairs in front of her. "I told you that I wanted you to let it go. I wanted you to let me deal with it but you _won't_!"

"No, I _won't_." He refused to echo her shout but his voice was firm behind her. "Maka-"

She cut his voice off with the jerking away of her hand, the stomping creating earsplitting thunder as she ran away without looking back.

* * *

Liz settled just about everything on the tray and made her way from the kitchen, up the stairs. She had just about reached the last hallway to Maka's room when Marie turned into the corridor, almost upending the swath of goodies. "Lady Marie," Liz gasped.

"Oh, Liz, I'm sorry!" Marie helped her right the tray, thankfully nothing scattering to the floor. "Is that for Maka?"

Liz pursed her lips before she shook her head quickly. "She didn't seem right at dinner. Didn't eat anything and with the babies…"

Marie sighed softly and whispered to no one in particular, "They're still so young." She waved the younger girl forward and then started the journey again towards the princess.

"Who's young, Lady Marie?"

She rolled her eyes in reply, "They still fight exactly the same way they used to. She explodes. He goes quiet. He explodes, she goes quiet. I thought eventually they'd grow out of it but… technically they're barely much more than teenagers. But you're right, Liz, with the babies to worry about, Maka has to be a little more responsible." As they approached the door, Marie knocked softly but Liz held her breath as she didn't wait for an answer, simply barreling in.

Maka didn't bother to raise her head from the pillow, instead digging into it to hide the tears on her cheek. "I'd prefer you didn't, Marie," Maka's voice strained into the fabric.

"That's too bad," Marie replied jovially as she crossed to the bed.

Liz waited until Marie waved her over and she carefully set the tray on the bed next to where Marie now sat, Maka laying on the other side. "I brought some of your favorites," Liz had attempted to soften her voice but as the next part came she couldn't help but let it ring out, "since you need to eat. Don't be foolish when the babies are involved."

A helpless moan resonated into the pillow before Maka removed her face, using her hands to clear away her cheeks. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Liz offered back. "Is there anything else?"

Maka eyed the tray and then brought her puffy eyes back to Liz. "Would you stay?"

Liz couldn't contain the jolt of her eyebrows but they crinkled back with a soft smile. "If you'd like. I assumed you'd prefer Lady Marie."

"Marie," the lady corrected as she smoothed over Maka's hair. "And I would assume she'd prefer Soul but then again…" Marie gave Maka a knowing look that only intensified as Maka sniffled under the gaze. "You two fought. So, come on," Marie patted the bed on the other side of the tray, motioning for Liz, "both your ladies are here, so spill."

"But eat something first," Liz urged as she sat still with that wavering hesitation. Even with those whispers that Maka was nothing more than common, Marie was most certainly a lady, but sitting next to them left Liz feeling no different than being next to the hearth in the kitchens, gossiping with Tsubaki and Patty.

Maka bit into a hunk of bread, chewing slowly and deliberately as the shame poisoned the sweet taste in her mouth. When she cleared it, her voice was small and tight. "I'm acting like a child and I hate it."

Marie's laugh chimed, tickling sweetly in Maka's ear. "At least you know. Was it the babies?"

"No," Maka sighed.

"Your mother?" Liz offered.

She nibbled at her lip, "No."

"Then?"

There was another cautious bite, settling the words as much as the bread on her tongue. "I… I want him to leave the past as the past," she murmured before letting her eyes close tightly. "I try not to remember what it was like with Papa. I try not to remember how I felt without Mama. I just want to forget that it all existed and just start my life from the moment I came here. I wasn't Maka until then anyway."

"Maka," Marie chided. "It doesn't work that way."

Bright jade eyes shot open desperately. "Why not? Why can't I just be _this_? I'm strong, I'm brave, I'm-"

"Still human," Liz's finish was tender but somehow still firm.

"And you get scared, upset," Marie reminded on top of that until a forlorn sigh broke her lips, "but very young you learned not to rely on anyone to fix that but yourself. Except now you have a husband, one that actually loves you, and would most probably like to share some of your burdens."

Suddenly her own words resounded back in her mind: _I plan to share my burdens instead of leaving them._ It was a slap to the face, her body tensing with the force. _But I'm not, I don't share. I don't and what I'm doing is just like-_

"And while Spirit would claim you're nothing like her," Marie continued softly, "this reminds me of one of Yaara's bad habits. Something I thought was fixing itself when you and Soul first met, but… apparently you still have work to do."

Liquid puddled on her lids, a maelstrom starting in her chest between the flutters of her heart and the aching need for breath. "I'm not like her," Maka begged, "I want my babies, I want to be with Soul!"

Marie shook her head as she engulfed Maka in her arms, "Stop that. I didn't mean it like that. You're not going to leave him, we both know it." She let a soft look dart over to Liz, receiving a quick nod.

"But Soul's only ever wanted to take care of you," Liz took her cue, finding strength in the easy smile that came to Marie's face. "He worries over every little thing that hurts you so can't you imagine how much he must worry if he doesn't know what will?"

 _If I told him about Papa, what would have happened that night with the hairpin?_ She tried to shake it off, distracted thinking bringing her from the problem at hand.

Marie brought her back with a tender touch, that glowing warmth that only Marie could offer. "And letting him know doesn't mean you're no longer strong." Maka crumbled into tears again, even with those magic fingers running through her hair, the gentle words of reassurance parting Marie's lips just for her ear. "It means you're stronger together, that's all. You need him, Maka, and that's alright. It's alright to rely on someone else."

"Especially when they rarely disappoint," Liz chimed. "Though how that idiot thought it was a good idea to _still_ go with Black Star and Crona tonight I'll never know."

Maka let out a wet laugh as she rubbed at her cheeks again. "I didn't give him much choice. It was that or sit outside the door and I know which I'd choose."

"You're so stubborn," Liz chided. "But at least you'll eat now, right?"

"Yes," Maka sighed softly before picking at the grapes and throwing one in her mouth. "I'm sorry," she murmured through the sweetness.

"It doesn't just affect you anymore," Marie warned, "and it's even more important when the babies are born that the two of you stop creating these boundaries. It's like you're both still afraid you'll lose each other."

Maka gnawed on the edge of the roll in her hand as her eyebrows furrowed while working that over. "We are," she murmured, mouth obscured by the food. "Medusa's still not gone, my parents are, well, _them_ , and Soul thinks I'm about to run off with Black Star."

Marie and Liz exchanged glances before breaking out into laughter. "You're joking!" Liz brayed between cackles.

She cracked half of a smile in reply, "No, I'm not. He was worried…" and while Maka meant full well to expose Black Star's secret her lips buttoned back shut. "He was worried we spent too much time together."

"At each other's throats, I'm sure!" Liz took a dedicated moment to roll her eyes, making sure the dramatics of it was just right.

"Just about," Maka nodded but felt the weakness in it. _That's not fair._ "Actually…"

Liz raised her eyebrows in reply, a grin starting on her lips. "What, don't tell me the captain of the guard actually treated you like a lady?"

"He _tried_ ," Maka started, but shook her head quickly. "He can be ridiculous, but he's… loyal. And he does actually care about more than just skirt-chasing or bloodshed."

Liz let out a long, low whistle as she looked to Marie. "Does that sound like him?"

"He's probably matured," Marie nodded along with the suggested. "Maybe just a little slower than you two, and with a bit more to go."

* * *

Black Star's shoulders shook as the chill crept up his spine.

"Someone's talking about you," Soul chuckled.

"Better be a cute girl." Black Star brought the wineskin to the leer on his lips and let the liquid bolster the thought.

A devious smirk was starting to pull at Soul's mouth and he leaned a little closer to coo near his ear, "Maka's convinced-"

"No," Black Star cut him off by brandishing the wine in his face. "We're not talking about _love_ tonight."

"But what's it like?"

Both men jumped, having forgotten for a moment that they'd grown a third as Crona's head suddenly popped between them.

Soul turned his lazy smile towards Crona. "Being in love?"

"Yeah." The word was quick and a blush followed even more swiftly.

"It's… fucking great."

Black Star cackled, "Says the guy who's in the doghouse tonight."

"Yeah," and while Soul's sigh here should have been dejected, maybe even a tad forlorn, it was still wholly lovesick. Even after the way she'd run off, the quiet act through dinner, she'd held his hand under the table so tightly that he could swear he was still working back circulation. _I can't decide if it's the babies or her mother or her father that has her like this but…_ "She's just stubborn."

Black Star snorted. "What else is new."

"Maka's nice, too," Crona interjected.

"She can be, and…" Soul took a slow drink and then let his eyes wander out into the dark. "There's no one else in the world I could even imagine loving as much as I do her but… look, Crona, loving somebody, it's wanting to do everything you can for them, whether that's stuff that feels like it's in your power or not, you try because you love them. And I don't know if it's her or me, but sometimes loving her makes me feel so powerless. I can't do a thing for her and what I do end up doing-"

"Oh, that's _bullshit_ ," Black Star grumbled. "You do plenty. She's just-"

"Stubborn." This time all three of them jumped as Maka's voice cut over Black Star's.

He winced as he turned to her, "Hello, princess."

Maka offered him a wry smile before turning her gaze to Crona. "Crona, have they been good to you?"

"I'm having fun," they chimed before looking between the two men, receiving nods of approval.

"Can I interrupt you for a minute?"

Soul met those soft green eyes and was on his feet before she could finish the question. "You OK?" he murmured as he let his hand drift into hers.

Maka pulled him back into the stairwell, getting a few steps down for at least an ounce of privacy that she was sure Black Star's ear probably wouldn't allow. "I would have waited until you came to bed but I was sure I'd fall asleep before then."

"What is it?" His fingers were searching for the right spot, running up from her wrists to her elbows to anchor her closer.

"I'm sorry," she offered weakly, "and that's honestly not enough and I know it."

"It's not something I want you to be sorry for," he forced a rough breath before squeezing at her biceps. "I… I don't even know if you're wrong or I am, I just…"

"You feel powerless," she finished with a sigh.

"You were listening, huh?" He leaned in, resting his forehead to hers. "You used to… Sometimes, when we were kids, you would let those walls down and let me hold you while you were crying. Now, when I have every right to hold you, it seems like it's harder to get you to do that. I want you to be happy. _Us_ to be happy. So let me." He watched her lips move in a slow revolution, words fluttering to the edge but halting at the end of her tongue. Without another second of hesitation, he pressed his there, trying to build a bridge from her to him.

"Those things that you called me," she murmured. "Determined, capable… don't they fizzle away when I tell you? You'll forget that side of me once the tears come and wasn't that the side that you fell in love with?"

He couldn't refuse the sharp laugh from leaving his mouth and he clutched at her elbows to keep her from bucking completely away, catching the start of anger on her face. "I know I shouldn't laugh, Maka, but come on. The tears just make those other moments even more amazing because after all you've been through, everything that's happened, you're still able to beat just about anything. And it's stupid for you to think that I don't love every last part of you."

"You said I was smart," she muttered back.

" _Book_ smart," he corrected playfully. She huffed but let him pull her back in, bringing her head to his chest as the babies pressed between them. Soul let gentle fingers glide through her hair before he whispered to her again, "It's always been obvious that I need you. I think…" he shuffled through his mind for a moment, trying to pick out the words he cultivated over sleepless nights, "Maybe that's why I can't stop the jealousy because, honestly, you've always made it clear you don't need anyone, you'll make it on your own no matter what and what I give you-"

"Is what I need." Her voice was as firm as her arms around him. "I do need you."

"Then start relying on me," he murmured. "Show me you need me by letting me carry some of the weight."

"That's it?"

"It's a fucking start," he sighed, half sweet but still a little bitter.


	45. Chapter 45

Black Star guided Crona down the corridors back to their room, or really, Crona was more doing the escorting since Black Star had been the majority holder of the wine skin which had been emptied some time ago. "Is Soul going to be alright?"

"You mean with Maka?" Black Star snickered to himself.

"Yes." Crona was watching Black Star's face with little surety but much interest.

His shoulders rolled in something close to a shrug. "Probably. Soul was right, love is great but it can suck, too." His head started to bob knowingly, even though he was really only rattling around thoughts and not actual experience. "Since you can't read another person's mind you're bound to fuck up."

"Maka sort of can," Crona answered tentatively.

"Which means she _should_ know everything," Black Star answered with that fake haughty aire before spitting out the rest with a sigh, "or maybe it's more like she knows it but doesn't get it." He waved a rough hand near Crona's face. "But forget it. Did you have a good time tonight? I feel like watching us drink wine had to be boring."

"No, I liked it," Crona beamed. "You two are funny."

"A regular comedy act," Black Star huffed, "but you're getting better, Crona." He stopped short at Crona's door, swinging it open for him and almost tossing his own balance off. As he clutched at the door to steady his world, he laughed, "You didn't apologize once."

Crona's eyebrows fluttered upward, unsure as a startled bird taking flight. "But-"

"Nope!" Black Star crowed. "We're all friends now, Crona. No more apologizing."

"Um… OK," they murmured. "Friends."

"Yeah." Black Star left him with a cheesy grin before motioning Crona back to his room. "'Night."

"Good night." Crona gave a weak wave but the one in their heart was going wild. Even the creak of the door behind them didn't elicit the usual fear, the sinking feeling of being alone because all of them was full. The inky darkness in the room, the scraping of trees outside in the wind, the amorphous shadows that painted the room created by the pale moonlight from the window, none of it brought an ounce of terror to Crona. That didn't come until they heard the frog croak from the window frame and the slithering scales rustling from underneath the bed.

* * *

It was now rare that Maka was awake before him since much of her night consisted of the ups and downs of their children's movements. Soul had tried to stay up with her but she mostly insisted on lulling him back to sleep, making soft promises that he'd be losing rest soon enough. When he woke, he couldn't tear himself away from her sleeping frame, watching the gentle breaths flutter across her lips. He didn't count the minutes, actually wishing time would slow to the point where the day would not eke forward towards the inevitable. Her soft murmur broke the spell, "Soul?"

"Here." No longer fearing waking her, he settled back into her, fitting their bodies together as best they could with the bundle between them. "How much did you sleep?"

"Enough," but her yawn betrayed her as jade eyes still blinked full of sleepy haze.

He grunted a laugh, "Stay in bed this morning. I'll have Liz bring you up something. We'll… we'll have work to do by noon."

"We will." Maka took a moment to search his face, lifting her hand to draw a gentle line along his jaw. "Our babies will be fine. I'll be fine."

"I know," came as a weak mutter and he saw it fall unconvincingly on her ears.

She pressed her lips together tightly before working the bottom one in her teeth. "You want to know what scares me more than this?"

His eyebrows should furrow, he knew that, since worry should be what populated his mind when Maka was afraid but instead he found them curling upward in interest, partially surprised because finally, here it was, a moment of her burden being pushed towards him. "What?"

"Going back," Maka's voice was miniscule in comparison to the feeling bubbling inside of her. It was a black mess of fear, of loathing the weakness of the moment but loving him too much to let it take hold. "I… loving you was always easy but being a princess, a Queen, and a mother on top of it all…"

"Don't worry, prince, King, father wasn't clearly laid out for me, either," he sighed effortlessly but a grin followed it. "I thought this would be Wes's problem, but I think we can do it together. Before we left, between the meetings and all I think we had a rhythm. _You_ enjoyed the authority." Soul pressed his lips to hers to catch the laugh that he knew was coming, making the kiss a thousand times sweeter.

"I did." She continued to giggle and he stole each one, leaving her breathless as he sunk a hand into her hair.

"Tell me one more," he murmured across her lips.

"One more what?"

He let his fingers drift through her tresses before he pulled his head back far enough on the pillow to see her eyes again. "One more something, anything."

Maka stared at him, feeling that shuddering horror in her chest. It was a terrifying offer from her mouth but it made it past her lips slowly, "Big or small?"

Soul knew it was dangerous, could practically feel the dread leaching from her skin, but he let the word come all the same, "Big."

She wasn't the least bit surprised but it still brought a pained sigh to her lips. Her eyes drifted to the pillowcase, contemplating the threads to avoid his reaction. "The drinking, Papa's drinking was hard but one of the things I can't seem to forget is… Papa cheated on Mama."

While that was more than enough of a blow, Soul waited for more and when nothing came he softly prodded the wound she'd left open. "Is that why she left?"

"One of the reasons." Maka sucked in air desperately, trying to will away the urge to let the hot tears course her cheeks. "Maybe it was just more of an excuse for her to do what she had wanted to all along."

"Maka…" His hand softly came to her cheek and she clasped hers over it.

"Wait." Again, it was a battle for breath, but she forced the trembling out of her throat before carefully choosing her words. "Neither of them was right or innocent and neither deserve my forgiveness." She punctuated that with fingers pressing tightly to his chest, swearing over his heart. "After that, you were the first person I trusted not to leave me and, well, you did, and that wasn't your fault, I know it, but _please_ , stay with me. I survived both of them leaving but I can't with you. When you left, Soul, when you left," her voice trembled and broke, a pitiful groan leaving her lips.

"Don't, that's enough," he whispered as he dug his fingers back into her hair, getting enough purchase to bring her lips back to his. First, he worked to steady her breath, waiting until the hitches of air stopped between their mouths. He moved to kiss her cheeks, along her forehead as his hands roamed over her as she clutched to him. "Today will be fine." It came with surety now, an order to the universe to make sure to set it straight. "And then you and I will spend the rest of our lives in the same damn place."

"Please," it was one last pitiful cry before she pressed the steady words into his chest. "I love you."

"I love you," he murmured into her hair, letting a few more kisses fall into the strands. "Thank you."

"You shouldn't," she sighed, "but I suppose I appreciate the sentiment."

"Still gonna do it," he chuckled, "mostly because while I'm not happy that you're hurt like that I'm fucking ecstatic that I know about it. Because you… you were scared of the same thing with me, weren't you?"

She nodded silently against his chest.

"Those stupid chamber maids talking shit they know nothing about and then before you left," he sighed forlornly at the memory but not the knowledge. "And because I didn't know, Maka, I assumed it was something with me, something I'd done."

"You don't even look at other girls," she managed a delicate smile, hidden carefully against his chest.

"No point," he muttered. "I want you."

She took a slow breath, letting her fingers play against his chest, "Even with the babies in the way?"

Soul snorted a laugh, "Even with the babies in the way."

Maka planted a kiss on his neck, reveling in the satisfied grunt it elicited from his throat. "Tonight, do you think we could…?"

"Definitely," he let the need hit his voice, trying to solidify his claims. _I want you. Just you. Always you._

She let a pleased hum vibrate from her chest to his as she cuddled closer. "I am looking forward to my body being just mine again."

A laugh started but stopped in his chest, his fingers drifting slowly over the curve of her belly, a swell that was still not entirely unstrange to him. "After they're born, we should… or at least _I_ think maybe we should wait for more _if_ we want to have more or…" he let the idea slip through his fingers like the fabric of her sleeping gown.

Maka's breath was pure relief as her fingers searched to tell him so. "Two will be more than enough for now especially since… I'm hoping that no matter how busy we are after they're born that we can keep doing this. Keep figuring out _us_ because it all had to happen so quickly but after…"

"I'd like that," he murmured. "Because we can't just be parents, right?"

Her breath was another gentle hum against his neck. "Right."

Soul wanted to stay tangled, to keep anchored to her since a small piece of him wanted to be just them, but there was a world outside calling. He pressed a few more kisses wherever he had space for them to fall before he started to pull away from her. "I'll get you that breakfast promised. I'll come get you when I've arranged everything else."

"Be careful," she warned uselessly. It didn't abate the knot in her chest as he slipped away, getting out of the bed and leaving the sheets to instantly chill without him. Maka watched him dress silently, Soul keeping his eyes from her in an attempt not to fall into the siren's call of the bed. As soon as he was fully dressed he returned to the edge, leaning over her to brush his lips over hers one last time. Maka grasped into his shirt so her whisper didn't need to go further than a few inches, "Please, Soul, be careful."

"Same to you," he smirked sweetly as he detached her fingers. "Don't worry, Maka, you're stuck with me for the rest of your life." It wasn't necessarily carefree but something close to a content laugh fluttered from his lips as he moved to the door. He threw one last look over his shoulder, captivated for a second by the soft blush she was pressing into the pillow. _Which will hopefully be something close to forever because today has to be fine, and even you having the babies will be fine._ With that thought he moved out of the doorway, shutting it behind him and starting a few steady steps into the hallway.

Instead of empty he found a face he wasn't expecting, the sight still bringing a smile to his. "Oh, Crona. You OK?"

"Just coming to see Maka," that nervousness was back but Soul dismissed it easily.

"Perfect timing," he laughed, sure that catching them in bed together a few minutes before would have been even more anxiety-producing. "Just go ahead in. I'm sending some breakfast up for her. You want something?"

"No, thank you," Crona murmured. "Just needed to talk to Maka."

"Go ahead." Soul waved them past, watching with a soft smile as Crona still stopped to knock, still played it safe and slid the door barely open at Maka's sweet call. Soul waited until Crona disappeared in the room, letting a ghost of a smile follow.


	46. Chapter 46

It was an iron maiden around Crona's heart or maybe a noose around their neck. Choking, bleeding, that was the closest approximation to having poison in their pocket and somehow still managing to look Maka in the face. Worse yet was the smile, that glow that she always had and gave to them without hesitation. "Oh, Crona," she cooed from the bed as she got an elbow underneath her. "How are you? How was being with the boys last night?"

Crona's gut churned and teeth ground but they moved another step forward, forcing a hesitant smile to their face. "It was nice. They were nice."

"Were they really?" Maka narrowed her eyes. "Don't lie: Black Star _and_ Soul behaved?"

They nodded shakily.

"Well," she sighed sweetly, "I'm glad. Did you drink at all? You know it's alright to try it if you want to."

"It doesn't taste very good," Crona mumbled.

"No, I suppose not," she giggled in return and motioned them forward. There were a few painful steps and then another stop. Maka tilted her head as that glow focused even harder on them, burning a traitorous hole in their chest. "What is it? Are you nervous about today? I told you, I'll be fine, and you definitely don't have to be there. It's your mother and… Oh, I'm so sorry, Crona." She reached for them but found the same indecision that had plagued them since they walked through the door. _Don't be selfish! You're killing their mother today and you want to comfort them?_

"Um, it's… not a big deal, Maka," that trembled off into a murmur.

"It's a huge deal," she urged back. "And it's OK to feel whatever you're feeling. Do you want to talk to me about it? I'll always listen, Crona."

Those worried little fingers clutched into their robe, straining the fabric desperately. "No, it's OK. I… just wanted to see you. Talk like normal. About normal things." That word thundered in their head, cackling laughter resounding in the echo.

"OK." Maka tried to let every last ounce of that come cheerfully but most of it flaked away as Crona continued to fidget next to the bed, just out of her reach. _Again, you can't comfort them about that, not after what you plan to do so be a good friend and give them as normal as you can manage._ "Well, Soul wants to leave soon, go back to the big castle and I was thinking, if you'd like, you can come with us. We have a lot of friends there, too, for you to meet and that's where I'm going to have the babies."

"Friends." It came as an echo of her voice, Black Star's, Soul's, just a cacophony of sound to torture from every angle. "Maka-" Crona started and stopped, barely trapping the desperate groan that wanted to come after.

"Don't worry," she tried to soothe the air between them by patting her hand into the bed like it was their arm. "You'll do great there, just like you have here. It always takes some getting used to but so far you've settled in at every step."

"But I'm…" _Horrible, terrible, a traitor, even thinking about killing your friends. Killing babies! Killing at all!_

"Fine," she urged again. "It'll be more people, but you'll get used to it and when we first get there you can stay-"

"What if I don't go?" It was practically a whine and they winced at the sound.

Maka tried to refuse the sting but it needled into her heart, making the tears come to her eyes. "That's fine, too, Crona. What happens to you now is up to you. With her gone, you'll be free."

"Free," barely eked from their lips.

"Good morning, Maka," Liz crooned as she opened the door, tray brimming in her arms. "Oh, good morning to you, too, Crona."

"Hello, Liz," Maka's sweetness was back in her voice, the worry temporarily abated by Liz's cheer. "Is everyone down at breakfast?"

"Mostly." Liz brought the tray over and placed it on the bed next to Maka. "But I've already been told that you're to stay in bed by King Worry-Wort downstairs."

Crona listened to the increasingly harmonious lilts of their voices as the sweat broke out on their neck.

"Oh, I like that nickname for him," Maka teased as she reached for some bread on the plate. "I guess I really will have to stay imprisoned until lunch. Well, you'll keep me company, won't you, Crona?"

They had been staring at the food on the plate, seeing Medusa's face, that sick grin shining in the cup of broth, her eyes hiding in the bunches of grapes. There was a shadow to each bit of sustenance, dark spaces calling to be filled with the ichor in their pocket. _Medusa said to kill her, them._ But as their eyes searched back up to Maka's face that unending concern was there, the real feeling of mother's warmth. _Friends_ came back in that terrifying harshness. "Um, no, I, I have to, I need to go." Each syllable rushed too quickly, and Crona's feet followed that momentum as their knees knocked together on the way to the door.

"Oh," Liz watched after them with a furrowing brow. "Are they upset?"

"I think so," Maka sighed. "But I shouldn't expect differently."

Liz sat down tentatively on the bed, watching as it didn't alter Maka in the least before she dispensed her next ounce of comfort. "They'll come around, Maka. Maybe once things are settled and they can have a life…"

Maka blew the air between her lips before she tossed a crusty morsel into her mouth. She chewed skeptically before letting the thought leave her mind. "If Black Star had killed my mother-"

"What?" Liz gaped.

"He threatened," Maka added a roll of her eyes, "except I'm honestly sure he would have if it came down to it. She was being a… bitch." There was still a childish shame in it and Maka had to clear her throat before she could continue. "But if he'd done it, I don't think I could have forgiven him completely, even if there was some reasoning for her deserving it. I'd still… hold that against him and I wonder if Crona's going to do the same for me."

"It's possible," Liz offered a weak shrug, "but you'll have to accept it. There's no getting around killing her, is there?"

"No," Maka replied glumly. "Especially if it's her or them." Her fingers grazed over her stomach and the babies fluttered in reply. "They were _wild_ last night. I hope they're not half as energetic when they're out or Soul and I will never sleep."

"It's your nerves," Liz nodded along knowingly. "They feel you being antsy so they have to be too. If you can relax-" She cut herself off with a laugh. "Sorry, I'm telling you to relax before you're supposed to kill a witch. I can't imagine that's easy."

Maka rubbed again, wincing as they moved in reply. "We can only hope."

"But it'll be over," Liz sighed sweetly. "And that means everything can go back to normal, or at least as normal as it's going to get with the two of you." It was a tease offered with a smile and Maka could only reply with a laugh of her own. "Just promise me after this you'll try to rest until the babies come."

"Rest," Maka huffed. "If I can. Since you're right, normal isn't exactly usually within our reach. I'm sure at least Soul will be happy to be home, and you, too. You must miss it."

"I do," Liz nodded quickly. "Though, it hasn't been as lonely as I thought it would be. I miss my sister, Tsubaki, and Kim, but you and Marie… I always thought ladies were haughty."

"It helps when you're not born one," Maka smiled a little sourly. "And in Marie's case, I heard both her father and mother were very strict, certainly old fashioned, so I assume she hated it so much she rebelled as the sweet, wonderful woman she is."

Liz's brow wrinkled slightly, "Maka, maybe it's none of my business, but how did you end up with Marie anyway?"

For a second, Black Star's words echoed in her head, _Stein took me_. "My mother and Marie knew each other. They were… friends, as much as they could be with my mother as a commoner and Marie as a lady but my father and Stein were close. They trained together as soldiers and worked together often as partners, that is until, well… Marie fell in love with Stein early on and you could say that threw my mother into the path of my father and the rest…" Maka put herself on display with a wave of her hand.

"Your father's here, though and your mother... she's not dead?" Liz offered hopefully.

"Neither is, apparently," Maka murmured, "but as far as I'm concerned Marie adopted me. I am the first daughter of this house, I am a lady, and… I married a prince." That sigh was a maelstrom of emotions, none of which stood singularly on their own.

Liz fussed with her lip for a moment before letting the correction come slightly chilly off her tongue, "Maybe you should say you married the man you love. He's a prince second, I'd hope."

"He is," Maka offered quickly with enough surety to drive away the clouds of the last statement. "I just still don't think I've settled into that world. I still feel so much closer to you than I do to them." Liz went to reply but as soon as thought clicked across Maka's face she clapped her mouth shut. "Have you thought about what you want to ask for?"

"What I want to ask for?" Liz echoed. "You mean the deal?" A weak trickle of a laugh came from Liz's throat. "No offense, Maka, but I wasn't exactly sure that anything would come out of that."

Maka lifted her eyebrows and shook her head adamantly. "No, I meant it. I meant all of it. And as for what to ask… well," she paused but a long breath renewed the resolve on her face. "I think you all should ask for ladyships."

Liz's face practically fell into her lap, her jaw refusing to close. "What?"

"Soul wanted to forget station, but…" Maka was looking off elsewhere as if he were about to come to the door, her eyes narrowing in thought. "While I don't think we can get rid of it, we can put the right people in it. You're loyal, you risked your life, and having a lady like that in the court… and I don't know if it matters, but it might give you the opportunity to marry well, to have a little more say in it."

"Maka, that's…" Liz stared with unsteady, untimed blinks, her mind betraying her and offering nothing more than a blank canvas.

Maka took the opportunity to snap her head back along with her hands grabbing out for Liz's. "It probably sounds absurd and you don't _have_ to choose that, but it's something that I definitely want to offer." Her fingers gently and with an ounce of hesitation intertwined with Liz's as her thumb ran over her knuckles. "Think about it."

"I will." Liz practically had to mouth the words, air and sense still mostly escaping her. Maka's soft smile went back down to her plate, her hands slipping away to her food but Liz couldn't bring her mind from the idea. _Me, a lady. A lady next to the Queen._

* * *

Free had enjoyed carrying the little thing up the stairs, dangling her by a single ankle out of biting range. When he entered the hall he found his presumption right, the prince instantly erupting in a frown. "Free, remember, that's still a girl-"

"Carrying a child by the ankle isn't so bad," he shrugged.

"Just - put her down," Soul sighed as he motioned next to Stein. "And you're never carrying our kids that way," he finished in a mutter as he ran a trembling hand through his hair.

Free enjoyed a laugh at Soul's expense as he deposited the mostly-child next to Stein. "You well-rested? Where's your woman today?"

Stein raised an eyebrow as his lips split into an amused grin, " _Marie_ is upstairs. She'll be down with Maka soon."

"Good, don't want you getting all zany without a fix." Free met Stein's grin with his own before he turned to Black Star. "And you drank too much. I can smell it."

"I'm fine," Black Star muttered as he put a step between him and the giant man, adding a needed decrease in the volume. His brain was suspended on needles but it wasn't as if he hadn't fought that way before.

Soul was driving his feet against the stone, threatening to split the floor with the persistent stomping. "We might as well get them now. We should just-" He cut off his mutters as the footsteps started in the hall. Soul rushed to meet them at the door, praying for a last chance to turn her from this, to beg her not to give in to her courage but as soon as he hit the threshold of the door it was Crona, a painfully stretched grin tearing into their cheeks. "Oh, Crona…"

"Sorry, I… did you all start?" Crona knew the answer, having slunk into the dungeon to find it eerily empty and offering them no chance to plead their case, to beg for that word _friends_ that had been bitterly resounding in their head.

"We brought her up," Soul started cautiously and without a second thought, he put a gentle hand on Crona's shoulder. "Honestly, Maka's better at this and I'm sure she's already talked to you this morning when you visited… I can't guess what you're feeling, Crona, but I hope you'll forgive us. We're friends, and I know we all want it to stay that way."

As soon as the word burst from Soul's lips it was a terrifyingly harsh dissonance of sound, a reverberating echo of a million voices like the way their blood used to call during the worst of it all. Crona took a shaky step past Soul, his hand falling uselessly away from them as they entered the hall.

"Crona-" Soul started as he turned, continuing behind them, missing the new footsteps in the hall at the strange thundering that had started in his heart. _Something's not right._ He tried to shed the feeling like old skin but it stuck to him. _It's fine, you're nervous, that's all._ He stopped as Crona did, locking eyes with the little impish child that was kneeling next to Stein.

The thing smiled, innocence slick with oil, before tilting its head slightly. "You look upset, Crona."

"Shut up," Black Star barked. "Crona, don't bother with it."

The door hadn't creaked yet but Crona could hear the footsteps like a steady beat in his chest and as a slow frown started to take the creature that would be their mother's face it all came crashing in on them. _She knows. She knows I didn't do it and now-_ Crona didn't have time to finish that thought.

* * *

Maka had started the walk without Soul, picturing the tense, uneasy way he was probably running a divot in the floor and urged Marie to make the trip without an escort. She'd dressed simply, ditching the usual gowns and reveling in the fact that she could once again be free in her movements as she had stolen Soul's britches. Not that they fit all that well, having to be tied uncomfortably tight under the swell of her belly which thankfully was well hidden inside a flowy blouse that used to be an undergown, a last-minute creation of Marie's this morning as Maka hemmed and hawed about the restrictive nature of lady's wear.

Even with her hands holding the globe at her middle, Maka felt strangely normal, that old powerful trickle coming back to her veins. She smoothed the shirt over her skin as she smiled to herself. _Today, you'll see how powerful your mama is because I can't lose. Won't lose. I have all of you to protect and this stupid witch is going to get everything she deserves._ Maka planned on wearing that smile all the way to the door and her feet almost made it there, seeing the start of the crowd through the crack. It was Crona and Soul in front of the door, shoulder to shoulder, but just as her hand could even consider getting in the vicinity of the great wood it slammed violently shut.

She didn't risk a glance at Marie, just instantly rushing the last few steps to press against the seam but finding the door immobile. As she strained against the barrier, not feeling even an ounce of give from the hinges, her eyes drifted to the floor just in time to see the liquid start to ooze from under the crack. It was pitch. It was onyx. It was coal. But at the same time, it was blood.


	47. Chapter 47

It was the wail that brought Spirit from casual steps to a bounding run. It was the sight of Maka buckling against the door, Marie's soft touch doing nothing for the agony on her face that made his heart start to gallop in his chest. It was the figure suddenly slipping through the arrow slit that made him draw his sword. It was then that he found his voice, "Maka, move!"

That was enough to at least momentarily break Maka from the horror and the sight of Eruka slipping out of the frame of the crack of a window brought her rushing towards her Spirit, pulling Marie with her. "Papa, I have to go," Maka urged as she grabbed the dagger from the back of his belt.

"No, you'll stay here," Spirit snapped. "If that girl-"

Eruka's pocked lips were smiling, as what looked like tiny marbles released from her hands and rolled across the floor. The black orbs had minds of their own and as they got close enough Maka saw they weren't really rotating but slithering, tiny little amphibious looking creatures edging towards them on the floor. As they reached close enough the explosions started, leaving divots in the floor where Maka's feet should have been but had barely had time to move out of the way. Marie grabbed her but one of the tiny things launched into the air, close enough to Maka's hand before bursting to leave a blackened char of flesh behind on her forearm.

"Shit," Spirit hissed as one of the little things combusted to leave a hole in his pant leg and a red rash on his skin.

"They only last so long," Marie snapped at him. "Keep moving. Maka, go."

"No," Spirit started again but Maka didn't listen, springing down the hallway desperately.

Maka didn't have the breath or the time for his complaint as she ran for the stairwell, listening to the desperate pops from behind her only overpowered by the clashes in the hall. She practically tumbled outside into the dust, moving along the wall of the building as she calculated window placement in her head. The hall had those high, delicate windows and when Maka finally placed them she started the search with her fingers for the first handholds. The babies were surprisingly stationary, steady while her mind wasn't. She was just high enough that Yaara had to reach to grab her ankle.

"What do you think you're doing?" she snapped like a mother finding a toddler in the cookie jar.

"Let me go," Maka hissed. "It's either Soul or Crona that's hurt and I need to be there." Her head barely made it over her shoulder enough to look down, but her eyes clearly narrowed at Yaara as cold as the first frost. "If you care about me at all you'll go back the way I came and you'll help Papa and Marie. If you don't, you may as well never try to see me again." She popped her ankle out of Yaara's clutches and started again, ignoring the pain in her fingers as the grips left her only tenuous space to climb.

* * *

It was viscous oil between Soul's fingers and even though he'd been here before, hands covered in blackened blood, there was an eerie surprise to the color. "Crona?" he practically groaned out.

"Soul!" Free was bellowing for his attention and when Soul turned his head, already starting to feel weak and dizzy, he saw the not so innocent little creature sinking its teeth into Stein as those terrifying black vectors started to materialize on the floor. It was a dangerous chess match unfolding and Soul was watching his pieces crumble.

"Soul, you have to go," Crona whimpered as they forced Soul's hands off of the gaping wound in their stomach. "And watch out, the blood can't stop the vectors."

The saturation of his fingers had told him that much but the words settled into Soul with a new horror. "Crona, stay the fuck alive," he eked from his throat before launching to his feet, narrowly avoiding the traps on the floor to get within talking distance of Black Star. Just as Soul got to his friend the mad cackling of his mentor started.

Stein was bleeding from the neck, punctures like a snake's bite oozing with each horrible shudder from his throat.

"Where's that damn woman when we need her," Free hissed.

"Forget him, Free, you're on Medusa." Soul sent a desperate look at Black Star, "You think you can manage Stein?"

"Won't even break a sweat," Black Star threw back a laugh before drawing his sword and running for the man bathed in madness.

Soul didn't have a minute to watch, catching the streaking darkness out of the corner of his eye and launching himself just in time for the arrow to chew into the stone, spewing the rubble up his leg. Each move made him feel more like a mouse, barely dodging fang after fang as the snake coiled around him. Free was fairing only slightly better, sputtering ice to life around the girl's tiny body only to disappointedly see them crumble to another black point.

Stein had dropped his sword to the ground, dodging Black Star's first strike easily as his open palm slammed into his chest. The air squeezed out of his lungs, threatening to send whatever he had for breakfast out into the feud rather than another smartass comment. He sucked in air, narrowly sliding out of the way of another direct contact from Stein. Collapsed on the floor he got a direct line to Stein's knee, knocking it and making him buckle as Black Star rolled behind him, managing to get to his feet just in time to toss an arm around Stein's neck. "Go to sleep, Stein." The answer was another cackle as Stein bucked, throwing Black Star over his shoulder and onto the stone with a crack.

While Soul desperately needed to see the outcome of that sound it was the strange scraping behind him that his eyes frantically fell to. For some reason, his mind fell to a spider climbing up the walls and he was sure that another sickly head was going to pop into the fray. "Free, a barrier or something!"

Free tossed up a wall of ice, listening to the clink of those sinister ebony arrows clacking away as he moved towards Soul.

Soul's back was against the wall, his chest heaving as he aimed his sword close to the opening but not enough that it was in view of the hole. He was ready to strike when the blond head appeared in the entry, Maka's face straining with pure annoyance. "Maka!" He grabbed her shoulders before she could even turn her head and pulled her the rest of the way through the window. "Oh, fuck, why? You should have stayed out there-"

"No," Maka snapped. "We do this together. You know that." She slipped her soul into his, feeling an even more palpable ease to the connection and as his finger grazed hers it was the strangest sensation, a slow crawl over her skin.

"Maka…"

There only seemed to be whites to his eyes and Maka followed his gaze. The wound that one of those terrible little pre-toads had left on her arm had been oozing but now she realized it was not char that was making the darkness but the blackness of her own blood that was now solidifying, weaving a strange tapestry up her arm and across her shoulders. As he grabbed at her other hand it seemed to spread faster, creating an oddly beautiful lacy pattern that tucked the clothing close to her body. As she came to her trembling feet, it flared down, a delicate black dress made of blood.

Soul didn't have time for wonder, hearing that finality to the next crack against the ice. "Maka, you have to touch her, right?"

Maka was trying to taper her own wonder off as her hands touched what should be a sticky mass but found almost a soft silkiness between her fingers. "Yes."

"Free, carry her." Soul unceremoniously pushed Maka into Free, a tentative smirk hitting his lips at Maka's shock but Free's easy amiability with the request. "We both know you won't be that fast, Maka. Let him get you there. Go for an opening that's right, Free."

"What are you going to do?" Maka narrowed her eyes at him, trying to send the message that they'd talk about that little shove later.

"Whatever I can," Soul shrugged before starting off.

There had been a few more sickly cracks from Black Star's direction since it had now become a trade of hand to hand blows between the two. It was a disorienting deja vu as Stein tossed him around, harkening back to the days when he was nothing more than a boy that didn't stand a chance against a man. It was as if Stein was toying with him, a horrific game of cat and mouse because Black Star was waiting for the inevitable use of that dangerous sewing technique, and every time he lifted his foot he was sure it would be his last, that it would stick in place and leave him all too vulnerable.

Instead, it was blows mostly to his middle as he felt ribs give in and grow brittle, sure a few sharded in the process. Breathing hurt, moving hurt, and looking Stein in the eyes seemed to bring the worst of the pain because while he would never give the thought life from his lips this was the man that was the closest thing he had to a father, and it was the man that was trying with abject enjoyment to take his life. "Fucking Stein," Black Star croaked. It was then that he caught sight of the blond in her periphery, hearing the snap of Soul giving orders for once, and he let it wash over him. _There's no dying today. Not for any of us._

While he had mostly been avoiding the other side of the fray, Black Star started to pull Stein towards the horrible little creature to the point where he could feel the whizzing moves of the arrows behind him. It was then that Soul crashed into him, pushing him a little further out of the brawl. "You're getting too damn close."

"You need me this close," Black Star huffed as he barely dodged another handhold from Stein. They were shoulder to shoulder for a moment, breath syncing. "If I pull him into her it's more chaos."

He could practically hear Soul's teeth set but the reply came back as a gruff order. "Fine. Don't die."

"As if I would," Black Star cackled as he rolled off Soul's shoulders. Turning your back on your enemy was never advised but Black Star needed to see Medusa, needed her to know he was just as much interested in her as he had been in Stein for the past few strikes. He waited, knowing Stein was ready to strike and quickly side-stepped, letting Stein barrel forward with the momentum of his strike, sending him almost into the little Medusa thing. He moved just far enough in Medusa's periphery, stretching her sight between himself and Soul enough that he could imagine the inky blindspot behind her.

Free did his part, erupting ice just to the side, trying to fake out their own position as he rushed Maka forward, holding her steady on his back like some child in a game. She was anything but as he felt the buzz of power from her, especially as his fingers touched over the strange blood armor. Soul and Black Star were closing in, Stein starting for Black Star but finding him weaseling through his legs, sliding on the ground to ensure the closeness that would grab Medusa's attention. As the vector flew towards his spot of earth the strangling scream broke from the little girl thing's mouth.

Maka had both hands on those tiny shoulders, clutching the girl after Free dropped her. It was an earsplitting, reverberating scream, freezing each in their place. Suddenly, a torrent of blackish-purple ichor shot from the girl's mouth, puddling to the floor until it stretched out into the vaguest form of a woman. Maka passed the tiny body to Free as she edged forward, her hands reaching for the slowly solidifying mass.

"Maka, don't!" Soul was tumbling towards her but Stein met him, connecting hard with a punch to his ribs. The air collapsed from his lungs as he tumbled back, the older man coming with him with hands ready to grab. Like that terrible night, Stein was stealing the air from his throat, hands clasped tightly to crush his windpipe like a tube of clay.

In the delirium that came with lack of air, Soul swore the blond head was nothing more than Maka, coming to uselessly try to pry the hands from his neck. Instead, it was a stern admonishment, the same he'd heard a million times in the days of their practice. "Stein!" Marie was suddenly behind Stein, her hands clasping to his cheeks in search of skin. Stein collapsed into a groan, his fingers loosening.

Soul sucked a breath into burning lungs as he rolled to his side, just in time to see Maka's attention diverted to the two others who had come through the door to add to the fray. In that distraction, the bubbling mass that was now becoming more of a woman was reaching towards Black Star, grabbing at his boot.

"Shit!" Black Star was up off his back, recovered from the roll but not fast enough. "Maka, go!"

Maka's eyes fell from the relief of seeing both of her parents, not the vision of a happy couple but at least together and while definitely not unscathed at least intact, to the mass at her feet. The yellow eyes were clear through the black now and it had started to streak away from that feminine face and that was all she could keep her eyes on. Maka didn't bother to see the dagger Medusa had stolen from Black Star's boot or the swing that it was taking for the most obtrusive part of her, the defined swell of her belly.

Soul tried to shriek her name but nothing came of it, his throat lame from the pressure. It was stolen from him anyway, Spirit and Black Star vying for supremacy in the next shout of her name, pulling Maka's attention back to them. When the blade hit, Maka felt the pressure, a knock to her gut that definitely made a mewling groan leave her lips.

"You _bitch_ ," Black Star hissed as he threw an arm around Medusa's neck. "You fucking goddamn bitch!" Each one came as a desperate scream as he tightened the flex of his arm, only taking a modicum of relief from the way the air squeezed from her throat.

Spirit was there, grabbing the hilt in Medusa's hand but wondering at the missing blade, his heart sinking at the idea of the only place it could be. "Maka?" he looked up at her weakly, the blood preemptively draining from him, leaving nothing but a woozy dreaminess behind.

Soul had scrambled to his feet, tripping and falling a few times in the scurry across the floor, trying to reach her before there was any sort of collapse. But as his hands found purchase, there was no need for support, Maka firmly standing on her feet as her eyes blinked down at the floor, her finger slowly motioning to the blade. "It just… broke. It hit the dress and… _broke_."

A terrified hiccup of a laugh barely left Soul's throat, but his sense came back to him, reeling to the floor and picking up what was left of the dagger as he solidified the blood in his hand, letting him clutch desperately to the blade. He fell towards Black Star, the tip sinking just below the flesh of the arm around Medusa's neck to tear into the tissue. It wasn't in the least smooth, a jagged rip starting in the still inky black skin, erupting with red as Soul continued to dig the edge in deeper, cutting into sinew and bone. It was almost impossible, the sheer force of it exhausting him but as the last bit of skin resisted, the words croaked up from his throat. "You tried to take her from me. No one will ever do that."

Maka had watched the gore, letting it bring a tumultuous mixture of calm and fear to her before her eyes trailed around the room. They hit the ghostly figure sitting next to the door that Yaara or Spirit had obviously destroyed to get in and a weak groan left Maka's lips. "Oh, Crona..." Ignoring the sucking of blood next to Soul, Maka rushed to the doorway, slapping away the hands that tried to grab her along the way and stop her. The floor around Crona was a pool of midnight but regardless she slipped into it, the oily mess saturating her knees as the dress started to crumble away from her, disappearing like ash in the wind. "Crona, please, Crona," she was muttering the words over and over as her hands touched the delicate body.

Crona's eyes fluttered open, sad and heavy. "Maka... I couldn't hurt you."

"No, I know that." Her smile wavered on her lips, trying to hold it steady as the tears started in her eyes.

"I couldn't hurt any of you ever again," they murmured weakly as their hand tried to raise but did nothing but twitch in the puddle. "I'm just sorry I didn't help."

"It's fine," Maka whispered as she slid a hand over their brow. "It's all fine, Crona. Everything's over and you're free. You don't have to worry about it anymore."

"And you're still my friends?"

"Always," the word choked from her throat as she kept smoothing their hair.

It wasn't until she felt Soul's hands touch her shoulders that the tears crumbled down her cheeks, shaking silently as she watched the light slowly fade from Crona's eyes.


	48. Chapter 48

For the first time, his fingers felt useless. Soul could run them through Maka's hair a million times, but it didn't abate her tears. Even with his soft whispers in her ear, she hadn't spoken a word, her lips buttoned tightly as she flexed her fingers into the sheets. When the small bead of blood started on her bottom lip with no sign of her teeth stopping their worrying, Soul slowed the stroke to grab into her locks, forcing her eyes back to his. "Maka, let it out."

Her eyebrows furrowed and released before she let a breath tremble across her lips. "I told them to come. I told Crona to come and they didn't have to. When I look back at it now there was _no reason_ for them to come. I decided that on a whim, mad at my mother, and now they're dead." She shook her head as she saw his mouth start to open and one of her clutching hands moved to cover it. "What's worse is I should have just killed Medusa when I had the chance. I should have just done what I've always done and thrown caution to the wind and killed her as soon as I knew what she was. If I had done that, we wouldn't have had to have this stupid fight!"

He slipped his hand over top of hers, sliding it off so his voice could come low and scratchy, his tone still weak from Stein's hands. "Yeah, since you could have died right then. No marriage. No kids. And Crona would be crying about _you_ right now."

Her eyes rolled desperately as she sucked in a breath, "Or I could have killed her and saved us all."

"There's a million _could haves_ , Maka." Soul shook his head slowly as he eased his hands back through her hair. "And I bet you're not the only one thinking of them tonight. Stein's not enjoying the fact he's now at two attempts to strangle me and I don't think I've ever seen Black Star as pissed as he was after the dress had to save you."

She narrowed her eyes, "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"Yeah," he tried to chuckle but all it did was gurgle in his throat and he had to stop to clear it. "We all made mistakes, have been making mistakes since day one, and any one of them's the reason why Crona's not with us anymore. It's my fault just as much as it's yours."

"Stop," Maka huffed.

"Seriously," he urged. "When Crona walked into the hall I was _sure_ something was wrong and what did I do? _Nothing_. There are a million things I could have done, and I did nothing."

Maka let her bottom lip tremble open but pulled it shut before rolling onto her side to press her face into his chest. "I want to go back," she murmured. "I want to go back to our very first kiss and stay there, ignore whatever sound and…"

"Crona died happy," Soul let the words rest against her ear softly. "You made them happy. We made them happy. That's something I know you wouldn't want to change, so no going back to the past, got it?" He nuzzled into her hair, planting his lips at her temple. It wasn't until her breathing slowed, no more sobbing hitches coming from her mouth before he started again, letting the fear that had wrapped around his heart leak from his lips. "Have you felt the babies move?"

She silently took his hand and moved it to the lower right side of her belly, Soul feeling his own breath come back as soon as a tiny something nudged at him through the skin. "They're fine."

Soul's fingers stroked along the swell, secretly in search of more movement, more reassurance. "And the bruise from where the knife broke? Does it hurt?"

"Just a bruise."

He sighed out the entirety of the moment, as long as the afternoon had felt to him before he let his lips linger over her skin again. "You were amazing today but you scared the shit out of me."

The compliment settled on her and she allowed a second of pride, half of a hum of pleasure coming from her mouth. "You did well today, too."

"Thanks," he laughed softly. "Watching your pregnant wife in danger is definitely a hell of a lot of motivation."

Maka managed a snort before she pulled her head from its hiding place, tired, puffy eyes blinking at him in the darkness that had started to creep into the room. "You feel alright?"

"Tired," he groaned. "Very fucking tired but… I think I've got one more thing to do today."

Her eyebrows lifted.

"Come on." It was followed by grumbling but he fumbled out of the bed, walking around to her side to help her up. He expected some kind of complaint but Maka was easily led towards the door and out into the hall. There were still servants bustling around and Soul weaved her through them, taking her in a familiar direction. It brought a smile to her face as he led her into the humid room that was already filled with the scent of jasmine.

The tub was steaming, tossed white petals breaking the tension of the water. Soul waved away the rest of the servants, leaving Maka smiling at him softly. "So you're helping me out of my dress?"

"I'm pretty good at it," he teased as his hands started the work of untying and pulling threads from eyelets to get her undressed. Once bare he helped her step into the tub, even being so careful as to brace her as she descended into the water.

"What are you going to do?" She looked up at him with eyes half-lidded in the pleasure of at least part of the tension washing away from her.

"Stay," Soul said with a sharp surety as he pulled a stool over to her side. He started to roll up his sleeves as she watched and as soon as he was no longer in danger of a wet shirt he grabbed a sponge and soaked it, trailing it softly over her shoulder and onto her back.

Maka's smile revived as she leaned forward, giving him more of a canvas to scrub. "You know, for a prince you're awful good at servant's work. Don't tell me you did this for Black Star as well?"

"Ha," Soul pronounced sharply as he used his free hand to flick water at her face.

She scrunched her nose and found the grin eating up her cheeks. "And you better be careful, I might expect this every time I fight."

He smirked as his shoulders rolled easily. "Don't mind it."

Maka hummed happily in reply, breathing deeply with each stroke of his hand. His other was still playing aimlessly at the water's edge and she grasped it, bringing it to her cheek to steal the warmth. "You're a good husband."

"It helps to have a good wife," he laughed.

"I don't know," she murmured. "Am I? I-"

"Stop that," he grumbled. "I said it. I meant it. Don't doubt it." Each sentence was punctuated by a tap of his finger against her cheek before he used his hand to pull her close enough to plant a kiss on her bare one.

Maka nodded softly before turning her head to catch his lips before they got too far. "Thank you for taking care of me."

"I'm enjoying it," a laugh trickled from his throat to punctuate. "So you should try to."

"I am, but…" she tried to hide her smile against his hand. "Why don't you join me?"

He eyed the water before turning a smirk back at her. "You think I'll fit?"

"I'm big but not that big," she grumbled.

Soul resisted a laugh, knowing the danger that posed before standing slowly. He threw off his shirt and then his pants, nakedness the last thing on his mind but finding a yearning for the heat the steam in the room promised. "Scoot." He tapped her back and she slid forward before he stepped in behind her. "Fuck, this is _hot_. How can you even stand this?"

"So sensitive," she chided.

He shot her a glare before hissing as he settled down into the water. "Boiling off a layer of skin," barely grumbled off his lips. "And I bet Black Star will never let me live down the smell."

Maka managed a short laugh before his arms wrapped around her, pulling her back to his chest as he eased back against the rim of the tub. "That's better," she murmured.

Soul grunted in agreement before he drifted soaking, warm fingers over her shoulders and neck. They steeped in silence for some time, only measured in his sure heartbeats that she could feel thumping against her back. She should have known his thoughts would run and after some time his voice came back rumbling in her ear compared to the quiet. "Crona's a good name, Maka."

"Boy or girl?" she barely got the words to quiver out as the heat came back to her eyes.

"Either," his whisper was soft but his kiss against her neck was even more so. "It's up to you, but that's my suggestion."

Her fingers glided through the water, meeting the soft swell, feeling the babies still turning, always in reply to her touch like they waited for her. "I think when I see their faces, I'll know for sure." _And I want so badly to see them._

* * *

It was a small ceremony, even with all in attendance.

Marie had a proper place put aside in the family burial plot because that's what Crona was - family.

Maka wasn't sobbing anymore, hadn't since the bath, since Soul rubbed them away with jasmine soaked fingers. Instead a few fell in sad streaks down her cheeks but her breathing stayed calm.

Soul's arm was carefully curled around her shoulder while the other hand clamped on Black Star's shoulder, keeping them steady even if he didn't feel that staunch himself.

It was Stein and Spirit that spoke soft words, not necessarily of the afterlife but the time that had passed between all of them, the memories they'd always share.

Black Star drove them all away and proceeded to toss the necessary earth over the casket.

Free watched from a distance, concerned with but not afraid of mortality.

* * *

"Papa?"

Spirit had been sitting in front of the hearth baking, letting his skin feel as raw as his heart. He knew the inevitable had come, listened to Stein make every necessary travel arrangement for the entourage about to leave. The child he had taken care of was dead and the one he'd lost was about to go again. _Fuck, do I want a drink_.

"Papa?" Maka repeated, louder this time and with the old fear that his eyes would turn to her glassy and bloodshot.

Instead, Spirit let clear green eyes that mirrored her own finally glance away from the flame. "You alright?"

"Fine," Maka nodded softly. "Nothing new, just busy babies." She moved to sit next to him, feeling the pleasant glow of the flame against her skin. "I guess I wanted to ask if _you_ were alright."

"I'm fine," he murmured as he shook his head at her. "Nothing for you to worry about."

Maka sighed as she let a hand drift over her stomach. She had practiced this for much of the night while she watched Soul sleep, had considered each word carefully, and the weight of what it brought with it. There was a scared little girl somewhere in her that didn't want any of it to be said but if Soul was to have her past, then she had to accept that it all existed. "When I was little, you couldn't talk to me, I know that. You were good like that, Papa, and never made me think for a minute that things were as wrong as I can now assume they were, but I'm older, and keeping your feelings from me isn't a protection anymore."

He narrowed his eyes at her for a brief moment before turning them back towards the fire. "I'm not sure I have the right-"

Maka sighed desperately, cutting the words straight from his mouth, "If I am asking, Papa, then I am asking. Tell me, before you do something stupid, before-" She caught the tremble in her lip, forcing it stiff as she clenched her jaw in place and waited.

Spirit swallowed hard, feeling the arid click in his throat as he almost choked on the words before he could release them. "I miss Crona. I guess that probably goes without saying, but it's partly selfish. I'll go back home to nothing now which I know is just about what I deserve, but that doesn't make it hurt any less. And your mother…" that finished with a heaving breath, useless air that couldn't create what he needed.

"She's gone again," Maka finished softly. "Or at least I think so, right? I'm going to guess you can't feel her and that there was probably no right way for you to tell me."

He had never imagined how much more it would hurt coming from her mouth rather than the pain he guessed would split his heart to tell her. It was still so difficult to destroy the effigy of Yaara he'd try to build over these years, whether she deserved it or not. "I haven't felt her since the battle. She helped me kill that witch, watched you survive, and I guess that was enough for her." He shook his head slowly, trying to free the rest from his lips. "I asked Free if maybe they'd fought, if… but, no, he said her scent was even long gone. And he made a promise to you that he plans to keep, apparently."

"Play nice until the babies are born," Maka added mournfully with a smile that was threatening to crack with each ticking second. "I'm not surprised that he kept it. And I can't say I'm surprised that she's gone."

"I'm sorry, Maka." He let a hesitant hand float between them before she grabbed it, pressing it to the warm stone between them.

"If anyone should be sorry it's her," Maka murmured. "I was going to listen to Soul, you know? Actually give in and _not_ be stubborn for once," her laugh threatened to become a sob but she sucked in air to stop it. "I was going to ask her to… try, I guess. Do something, _be_ something, but… fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me." That came devoid of song, nothing but a long bitter note.

"Don't blame yourself," he muttered. "Your mother leaving-"

"Is her own fault," Maka replied steadily. "I… what you did I'll never understand but I am sure that is because I have a husband who will never leave me, who never makes me doubt his love. I have not felt lonely ever, in any of the time we've been together, so I won't judge what loneliness, unhappiness makes a person do. I've realized that I don't have to forgive you for that because it's not mine to forgive or not. I don't even have to understand it."

"Thank you," he murmured before squeezing her fingers in his. While he attempted to bring his hand back after the pressure, Maka refused to let them get away and the two sat for a few heartbeats with fingers clutched tightly together. "Don't repeat this, but I don't mind him, your husband, Soul."

"Don't mind him?" she let the ghost of a sweet laugh pass her lips. "High praise, Papa."

"The night he met your mother," Spirit was nodding slowly at the memory. "I could tell I was wrong. He wasn't just some spoiled little brat of a prince that gets his way."

"I certainly won't tell him you said that," the giggle strengthened this time as she tugged on his hand to bring his eyes back to her. "But if you don't mind him and if you swear that you're not going to go back to what you were, I'd like you to visit us whenever you'd like. And I certainly am not the boss of you but I've already suggested to Stein that perhaps you should stay here, with him and Marie. Nothing formal, but… closer, in good company."

Spirit brought his free hand to his face, pressing his palm into his lips because his face didn't know whether to grin or grimace and the result felt almost as insane as the words from her lips. It was not necessarily forgiveness, but it was opportunity.


	49. Chapter 49

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **sexual content ahead**

The carriage ride had been anything but comfortable, Maka in a constant state of repositioning as the weeks of traveling wore on her. Liz didn't seem to mind half as much, eyes glued to the scenery as it passed, happy comments popping from her lips at different intervals. Honestly, those small interjections were the only thing keeping Maka sane and the more hours spent in that little box the more she was sure of her offer. The last of her nerves were fraying when the carriage came to its final stop, Soul exuberantly opening the carriage door.

"That couldn't have taken any longer," Maka groaned as she urged her aching body forward and into Soul's arms, leaving her weight to him.

Soul helped her down from the step, giving her solid ground to stand on. "And the day's just starting. There's already a crowd of people at the gate."

"Maybe I should have stayed in hiding," Maka grumbled before patting his hands to release.

He let her go, turning back to the carriage to do the same for Liz, who thankfully only took his hand rather than throwing her waist into his hands. "Liz, welcome home."

"Same to you," Liz laughed but was still eagerly looking around him to scan the yard.

"She's already there," Soul laughed as he motioned towards the side entrance to the kitchens.

No sooner had he done so than Liz was off, running towards the cheers that started from the girls as soon as she came into view. Maka turned her head, lifting her eyes to Black Star still sitting high on his horse. "We made it. You can get down now."

"Is that an order?" Black Star grumbled.

She followed his line of sight to the girls before bringing a smile back to him. "Yes, a princess level order. Get down. Say _hello_."

He huffed as he dropped out of the saddle, producing a cloud of dust that continued to swirl as he stomped along.

"What was that?" Soul nodded after Black Star.

"That certain someone," Maka hummed happily.

Soul shook his head with a low laugh, "Don't test him. You should know better."

She put a sweet pout to her lip before blinking innocently. "I'm not doing anything."

He snorted a laugh before taking her hand and starting to pull her across the yard. The soft murmurings starting all over again as they approached, the girls seeming to still be trying to restrain themselves but as Maka let go of Soul and started the act of taking each one by the hand, whispering still ecstatic greetings, that slowly warmed them to the liveliness of an actual celebration. Soul let his eyes fall to Black Star, watching the smile trying to start on his lips but failing as he moved shoulder to shoulder with him. "I think Maka ordered you to say hello."

Black Star sucked his teeth. "I have recruits to check on. Left those idiots alone for too long."

"She's not going to let it go," Soul chuckled.

He shot a glare back Soul's way before starting to hurry off.

"Black Star," Maka called sharply.

"The captain's in a hurry," Liz laughed.

"Is he alright?" Tsubaki offered softly to Maka, letting a hand touch her arm.

"I think he's a little overworked at this point," she sighed before letting pleased eyes fall on Tsubaki. "He did too much to save me, after all."

Soul expected the twinge in his chest as she said it but her eyes instantly came over her shoulder to him, a brilliant smile doing nothing but clearing a path straight to his heart. "Picked the right man as the captain of the guard."

"Alright, not too many compliments," Maka giggled. "Not to mention we've already wasted enough time. Will you take me up to your mother?"

His eyebrows started to rise but found no change in the resolve on her face so they froze. "Let me take you to our room and then-"

"I need to walk," it was almost a desperate pleading.

Soul cringed slightly as the girls started to giggle and he sent a glare their way, noticing that none of them bothered to cover the laughs or look away.

"Well? Escort your wife," Kim prodded before crumbling back into giggles.

"Get a move on, prince," Patty chimed.

"This I didn't miss," Soul grumbled as he took hold of Maka's elbow, starting to guide her into the stairwell. _I wonder if Mother knows, someone on the parapets must have seen me, word must have spread and now…_ He looked to her and found the opposite playing on her face, no worry but a calm determination that started the heat in his cheeks. The focus on her had to be short-lived as the bustle started around them as the castle came alive with the news. The steward found them as soon as they came even within a whiff of the main hall and they were instantly pressed into the cavernous expanse where Maka had made her promise all those months ago.

This time as the Queen stood on the dais it wasn't frozen anger but a rumbling rush, as she lifted her skirt to make it a quick trip to the center of the floor. Soul almost could have laughed at the lack of propriety, an utterly uncharacteristic attempt from his mother, until the tears started to spring from her eyes, her hands dropping her skirt to reach for both of them. It was a gentle touch to Soul's shoulder and a hesitant one to Maka's hand. "You're alright," came weak words trembling off her lips.

"Fine, thank you, your majesty, and…" Maka took the hand from hers and placed it on the swell of her stomach, moving the fingers until they settled on one of her babies' many flutters, "so are your grandchildren. Twins well on their way."

"Oh, two?" After the flutter in her voice almost became one in her knees, Soul quickly moved from Maka's elbow to his mothers, holding her until she turned a tearful face into his chest.

"It's alright, Mother," Soul murmured, "but there's a lot to discuss after we get settled."

"Yes, we'll need the priestess here right away," the Queen instantly seemed to perk, clearing the tears from her face. "And your father, he's in one of the council meetings right now, but-"

"As if that would keep me from my son," the King's jovial voice bled over the Queen's insistence and in an instant, he was at Soul's side.

While Maka had tried to bolster herself the entire ride, and even the last few steps into the hall, the sight brought a keen pain in her gut, churning envy settling in her heart to watch his father and mother fuss over him for a moment. She couldn't fool herself that it was the perfect picture of parental love but it was more than a missing mother and a father that she could only just allow to return. As her eyes almost began to swim she felt the hands in hers again and raised her eyes to the King, a smile that almost reminded her of Soul's gracing his face.

"And you, welcome home." His hands were trembling in hers and it was the last encouragement she needed for the tears to fall. "I'm sorry that this has proven to be such a tumultuous time for you but be sure that you were deeply missed."

A bitter part of her wanted to disbelieve it but as Soul moved to her side, a sweet hand coming to her cheek to bring her eyes to his, all of it drifted away.

"She's home now," he murmured as his thumb rubbed across her jaw. "And it's thanks to Black Star and Stein that she's safe and well. I think it proves our trust in them even further."

"Your son's too modest," Maka shot back at him. "Even if the captain brought me home there was enough fighting for your son to partake in as well. You should be proud of him."

"Maka," Soul wanted to argue but the goofy grin on his face, the pull of his cheeks, kept the words trapped on his tongue.

"We are proud of him," his mother insisted, bringing back at least a ghost of her usual haughty air. "But you shouldn't be forgotten in this, just as the King said. You've had your own struggle."

"From which I'd like to rest now if you don't mind," Maka tried to make that murmur small, not actually tired but exhausted by the spotlight.

"Rest for now," the Queen came back with hard insistence, "but we'll have to surely have a feast tonight, something grand to wish you home and tomorrow, the priestess-"

"Mira will have to come tomorrow," Soul finished for his mother, the same hard tone.

"Yes," Maka nodded, even though she wanted it to be a sigh. _Oh, of course, more poking and prodding, exactly what I want._

"I'll arrange it." The Queen spent one more moment carefully caressing Maka's stomach before taking the King's hands away from her, freeing Maka to take a step back.

She didn't hear the last few soft words that Soul offered his parents before he started leading her back out of the hall, the castle still overly alive around them. "That went well," Maka breathed out.

"It was… weird," Soul clenched his jaw for a moment and felt her eyes on him, her fingers moving to lace in his. "They… seemed more alive, I guess. More _real_ than I've seen them in a while, that I can remember, honestly. Does that make sense?" For some reason, the idea of looking at her face pained him and he settled with squeezing her hand.

"I wish it didn't," forlornly brushed from her lips.

"It's not a bad thing," he replied with a short laugh. "It's better. This is better, and now that you're home…" He stopped her right on the threshold of their door, stopping her hand before it reached the latch. "I told you I had something for you, so close your eyes."

"Soul…" Her eyebrows furrowed as if she were going to object but her lids closed just the same.

He eased open the door and let his hands plant on her shoulders, guiding her soft steps into the room and to the foot of the bed. His arms slipped around her, clutching her tightly across the chest to his. "Open your eyes," he murmured softly into her ear.

All of Soul's practice had paid off and not a single stroke had gone awry on the beautiful bassinets. Regardless of his victory with the carving, Soul had challenged himself with paints as well, adding even more depth to each blossom with vibrant color. He wasn't any good with fabric unfortunately but had employed Tsubaki with making the lace and blankets that should accompany any baby's crib and she certainly hadn't disappointed.

Maka's hands quickly grasped his arms as all breath left her lungs.

"Stein built them," Soul started slowly. "I can't take credit for that but the design, the paint, that's what I did when I missed you the most, and as you can probably guess that was a lot of the time. Tsubaki made the blankets and she's done some outfits too. Can't say we're entirely ready but I'm pretty sure Mother will take care of that now that she's up to date on the pregnancy."

"You…" Maka shook her head, loosing some of the tears from her eyes and letting them patter across his arms. "You did this?"

"And…" He stepped back and pivoted, twirling her with him by keeping her steady against his chest. "While I want to say I was thinking of the babies, it was mostly of you. So…" Across from the cribs was where he had set up the canvas, purposefully set lower to the ground with the intention to be visible to little eyes. Soul would never see it as his finest work, he was honestly more proud of the cribs, but it was still beautiful - a breathtaking painting of the two of them, designed from the vivid memory of the first time he had seen her with the hairpin. "That moment I thought about a lot since, well, if you couldn't already guess, it was the moment I remembered how much I loved you when we were kids and realized how all of that love never left me, especially not when I could have you in my arms again."

Maka pressed her lips into his arm, letting it hide away the sound of her sob.

"It wasn't meant to make you cry," he chided.

"Liar," she sniffled before letting out a weak laugh. "Your design the entire time was to turn me into a sobbing puddle."

He started to chuckle, glad that he heard it catch and her soft laugh came clear to him as she turned in his arms. "Do you like it?"

"The cribs are absolutely beautiful," she murmured against his neck as her arms clutched desperately around his shoulders. "The painting… sometimes you're embarrassing, you know that?"

He snorted, "Embarrassing?"

"You make yourself look lovesick, like I'm some paramour-"

"You aren't," he urged back as he sunk his hand into her hair so her head tilted to meet his eyes. "But I am." Her cheeks flushed a pink that made his heart tremble against his ribs. "And I couldn't give less of a damn if that's supposed to be embarrassing." With that, he brought his lips to hers, his arm moving to hook around her waist and bend her into him. "Just tell me what else you need, what else I can do because I want you to be happy now, to have some kind of fucking happiness."

Maka sealed that bitter sounding end with another kiss as her fingers touched softly at his neck to his cheeks. "You should tell the guards outside to make sure we're not disturbed."

"Really?"

She plucked the taste of his hopefulness off his lips. "That _tonight_ you promised was more than four weeks ago. Not that I was desperately counting, _but_ …"

"But you feel alright? Honestly, you're-"

"I feel like the only way you can finish that sentence is _huge_ ," she said with a huff.

He grimaced slightly, "Very pregnant."

She sighed sharply as she pressed her forehead against his shoulder. "Yes, and probably not that far from giving birth which means _more_ time without your touch and… I am getting to the point where I may not be too proud to beg."

"Beg?" His face flushed a particular shade of scarlet that he swore had been reserved for those long dead moments of teenage embarrassment.

When she lifted her head he couldn't help but catch the way her lip trembled as her breath betrayed her, barely moving the words off her lips. "I need you." There was something in those jade eyes that made the words evolve, blossoming into something more than he had asked for that night on the parapet. These were the kinds of looks that murdered jealousy, that for a devastatingly beautiful moment made him utterly sure that she had never looked that way at anyone else before and never would again. She sealed it with the tenderest kiss, a barely-there brush of her lips against his.

Completely red in the face, Soul gently plucked her hands from around him, leaving them floating between them as he turned and marched towards the door. It was a terse, hoarse order in the hall before he was slamming the door shut and rushing back to her with such force she was almost sure he was going to knock her over. He did end up pushing her back a few steps, his arm scooping her waist again to bend her as he forced his lips to hers without any of the tenuous hesitations that had laced his mind moments ago.

He was starving, tasting her lips and only wanting more, trying to find it as he kissed along her jaw to her neck. His only sustenance was that look and the glow that came from it, that openness peeling off her with each kiss like he was drinking raindrops off her skin. They stumbled towards the bed, Soul pausing only as the back of her knees tested the side. He dejectedly detached from her as he sat her on the bed, taking a just barely rational moment to stare at the setup and then back down to her.

Soul slipped onto the bed, sitting against the headboard as he spread his legs. "Come here, like in the bath." Maka scooted back, pleased to find him grabbing on and pulling her as soon as she was close enough. His hands were desperate to take her, fingers instantly working to rake her dress up her thighs. "Comfortable?" he murmured next to her ear before latching his lips to the lobe.

Maka hummed out sweetly, her hands covering his just for a moment as they crumpled her skirt in her lap. "I love you."

"I haven't even done anything yet," he chuckled against her skin, sending an electric thrill down her spine.

"Just that you would," she murmured as she turned her head towards him.

Soul caught the corner of her lips before bringing his hand up under her chin, forcing her the last bit of the way so he could hit dead-center. "Not would, want to. Fucking absolutely dying to." While he held her neck, his other hand hitched under her skirt and drew a dangerous line along the inside of her thigh. "So make sure to tell me everything feels alright."

"Better than alright," she heaved out with a jittery breath.

He grunted, nipping at her lips again as he played along the sensitive skin, driving her to starts and stops that fed the grin on his face. "Say it again, Maka."

"Say what?" Her legs were already trembling as her feet shifted against the sheets.

"The closest thing to begging," he murmured as he trailed kisses along her jaw.

"I need you, Soul." It finished with a moan as he took his cue, ending the teasing as he ran his fingers along her lower lips, parting them to make her squirm for more.

"When you say it like that, I believe it," he whispered huskily, punctuated with a nip to her neck.

Her fingers dug into his hair, holding him tightly in place so she could capture his lips again. "I mean it." He continued to try to pull the words from her very lips, that hand on her neck keeping her close enough to get swallowed. His fingers dipped into her, one then two before she bucked her hips slightly, groaning into his kiss. It tasted so sweet that he plunged again, urging more soft cries passed from her to him. He stole each one with a building fervor, his fingers moving to that tried and true motion but with an aching slowness that made her practically whine, "Soul, please."

Soul hushed her with his lips but followed the almost order, easing into tight, swift circles that sent her gasping against his mouth. "Once more," it came out as a tight whisper clenched between his teeth, a little dose of shame coming with his own insecure wants.

Instead of the chiding that he deserved, or any other loss of her glow, a delicate smile parted her lips, just enough to suck in another trembling breath. "I need you, always you." The ending hitched, and he slipped his hand over her mouth, catching the frantic cry behind his fingers.

He waited for the sound to end before he uncovered her lips so he could feather across them again. "Feeling good?"

"Perfect," she breathed. "Are you…?"

"I don't know what I'm going to do," he sighed as he nuzzled into her neck. "I can't imagine how we used to go at it being anything close to comfortable."

She snorted a laugh, "Not with the belly between us."

The cogs in his brain were working so hard she could practically hear the grind, especially with the added grumble from his chest as he traced his teeth lightly against her skin. "Before… being on your side, that wasn't bad?"

"Best position for me, honestly," she sighed. "Just give me enough pillows and I'm fine."

Soul was careful, moving her just as much as she was moving herself, his hands aiding in whatever cushion tucking was necessary. "Maka, again, if anything feels wrong-"

"I'll say," she huffed as she pulled up her skirt before settling back into her nest. "You better be careful or I'm going to start to think you believe I'm delicate."

"Oh, no, never," he chuckled as he pressed his chest to her back, letting his voice rumble next to her ear. "Just prefer everything about this is something you like."

"I haven't had a complaint yet." She tossed a grin over her shoulder as he dove her fingers into his hair, pulling his lips to meet hers. "You need to take off your pants."

He snorted a laugh as he negotiated out of them, letting her keep her fingers running through his hair. As he pressed closer he grabbed at her hip, steadying her against him. A trembling breath drifted across her shoulder as he tested the angle of his hips, trying to pull her into the right but still gentle position. Always slow and careful, this moment fit Soul like a glove, and regardless of the tenderness, Maka let out a groan that had him frozen and clutching to keep her in place.

"More," she moaned.

"Oh, fucking thank you because," he sighed achingly against her shoulder again, "I missed this. Oh, fuck, did I miss you." His fingers dug into her hip, pulling her against him in time with his disciplined strokes. Every last inch of his mind was screaming to be careful, considerate, and he was intently listening to each utterance from her mouth, watching her lips form sweet curls at the edge with each sigh. That started to unravel him, that utterly perfect smile on her face, that freeing look that reminded him of all the little times she'd stolen pieces of his heart.

As her fingers tightened in his hair he pressed a sharp groan into the nape of her neck, his hips grinding until the spark shot from his middle to his toes, leaving every last nerve along the way lit. They were already intertwined but he somehow pulled her closer, his hand snaking up from her hip to wrap across her chest. An exhilarating twitter of a laugh left her lips before she let it trickle out to a sigh.

"What is it?" he murmured as he nuzzled into her neck.

"Just, it's foolish, isn't it?" Her head shook against the pillow and he let his lips linger against the movement of her skin as he waited for the key to this lock. "The worrying. Marie said so too, even though she teased that there was an old wive's tale about this and labor."

"What?" Soul was up on his elbow in an instant.

"Oh, there's King Worry-wort." Maka collapsed into giggles again, getting a pure glare from him.

"Maka, you feel fine?" he urged again, that brow so furrowed she was sure he'd give himself premature wrinkles.

She nodded slowly with a few hard blinks. "Yes, entirely fine. Actually… happy, Soul. I'm very happy."

The creases softened as his lips just brushed over hers. "Stay that way."


	50. Chapter 50

The giggles didn't fade as Black Star entered the kitchen but they started to trickle to nothing as he funneled the other boys in, dejected faces in bright juxtaposition to the twittering.

"What's this?" Patty was instantly leaning into Black Star and he caught her, wrapping a playful arm around her waist.

"These idiots let me down while I was gone, so obvious punishment is kitchen work," he scoffed. "They have to learn that if the captain of their guard is out saving a damn princess that they should be training twice as hard instead of jackshit."

Patty batted away his arm, getting in a quick tap to his face before scurrying back over to her sister. "Oh, and please, tell us, how much saving did you do? Liz was saying-"

"You all know better than to let anyone else tell a story," Black Star crowed. "Not to mention Liz was living it up at Marie's while I was taking care of the princess."

"Living it up," Liz scoffed. "And are you trying to insinuate our princess is difficult?"

While the next insult would normally easily come to his mouth it was Tsubaki's eyes that derailed him, the first time he'd let theirs meet since he'd come home. It was an utter mistake, a complete miscalculation and all of his congratulations of skill were fluttering away with each bat of her eyelashes. Black Star had to force air from his throat, making it scrape and clear away the tightness. "I didn't come here to entertain you, though. Just dropping off these idiots since you all should be preparing for the feast, shouldn't you? And I need to see Soul-"

"Oh, no, you don't," Kim was waggingly a finger in his direction. "It's the first time they've been alone in _weeks_ , so leave them be for at least an hour."

"Honestly, she's already pregnant," Liz huffed.

"Liz," Tsubaki chided.

"That's right," Black Star warbled weakly with a sigh. "You act like you don't need a roll just as much as she does." The girls all gasped but it quickly fell into giggles, making Black Star huff again as he waved the boys over to the table. "Will you take them already? And shouldn't you get started? Again, the Queen expects a feast tonight and you're all gossiping instead."

"Fine, fine," Liz groaned as if getting from the seat meant leaving a strip of skin behind. "Come along, boys, I guess it's dough-making for the lot of you." Patty followed quickly, grasping Kim's hand and yanking her along. Tsubaki was the last, offering him a barely enough glance before she took a step to join the train.

Black Star grabbed her wrist and she brought a devastating smile to greet him. "Since I'm disallowed from seeing the prince, I might as well ask what needs to be done here."

"You're probably tired," Tsubaki offered back softly.

He scoffed at it as he wrinkled his nose. "The last thing you need to do is treat me like I'm soft."

"I didn't say soft," Tsubaki warned as she shook her head. "But when's the last time you had a good night's sleep?"

"Wasn't really planning on getting much sleep tonight." It was a mutter but as the pink hit her cheeks he could barely contain the volume of the rest. "That's not what I meant. Just, between the two of them, Soul or Maka, it's always some damn trouble and I'm the only one to save their asses. And with her pregnant like she is…" he sighed with abject futility.

She was easing her wrist out of his grip but not without letting her fingertips slip over his. "Has she been alright?"

"No," he answered back sharply and tried to shake his head of it, tossing aside the memories but finding them stuck like tar, "but between _you_ and all the other girls and Soul as long as he keeps his act together she should be fine."

"And you," Tsubaki offered with a laugh.

"Last thing she needs is me," he scoffed.

"She said you made her laugh," Tsubaki answered gently, the furrow of her brow forcing him to melt a little further as that wrinkle left him perplexingly enamored.

"Like I'm some sort of fool," he murmured, meaning for it to snap but finding his words weak in reply to her stare.

Tsubaki shook her head but he couldn't tell with what since that smile was still tilting her lips. "Get some rest, won't you?"

As she turned away he felt his gut churn, words left unsaid on his tongue for just this once.

* * *

It was the pure exhaustion of being passed around all night, the center of attention that wasn't exactly the center, more just a vessel. So when Maka collapsed in bed that night after Soul's sweet love and the unending line of congratulatory strangers, a dark veil of sleep took her soundly, even blanketing the movement of the babies enough that they barely stirred. While he would never say he was just as drained, Soul's eyelids drooped heavily but he watched her sleep all the same, his eyes lazily trailing from her face to the swell. It seemed as if he'd only shut his eyes for a moment, but the sun was already starting to blare through the window as Black Star woke him with a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Get up," he muttered.

Soul narrowed his eyes momentarily at Black Star before looking back at Maka, watching her still sunken in slumber. He sighed before sliding out from between the sheets. By the time he was standing, Black Star was tossing him a shirt and starting for the door, Soul barely trailing behind as he threw the clothing over his head. As soon as he'd whispered the door shut behind him, Soul rushed to play catch up, getting shoulder to shoulder with Black Star. "What is it?"

"Someone's here. Never seen him before. Asked for an audience with your father so I thought…" Black Star let that trail off with a shrug.

Soul was running possibilities, dangerous scenarios pitter-pattering across his brain. "He didn't announce himself?"

"Refused," Black Star snorted. "Looks kind of like a lord though. Could be one of those northerners looking for more help than we gave. Who knows. Just seems a little strange. He started rearranging the candlesticks."

All Soul could do was shake his head, hoping that quirks would be the most he'd have to deal with today. They were practically to the hall when the steward stopped their forward motion. "My prince, the priestess is here for the princess."

"Shit," Soul muttered. "Hey, go wake her, will you?"

"Me?" Black Star balked, "Since when am I your servant?"

"She was saying that she was planning on talking to you anyway," Soul offered back with a grin that made Black Star cringe.

"That woman, I swear," Black Star grumbled.

"You swear your loyalty? Your undying fealty and protection?" Soul continued to let his smirk grow as the opposite plagued Black Star's face. "She's going to wear you down one way or another."

"I see whose side you're on." If the steward hadn't been so close Black Star probably would have knocked him one and Soul's face said he knew it. "Fine. Princess duty yet again." He had technically wanted to stay, to study that odd man a little more but even with Soul's grin he could practically taste the apprehension coming off him. Black Star started quickly away back down the road they'd come together, cursing in the back of his head for not waking Maka _with_ Soul. Instead, he'd had some stupid idea that she deserved her rest, some sweet kind of notion - disgusting really - that maybe she should be pampered for once instead of dragged into every last problem.

He huffed, not from lack of breath, as he reached the hallway before their room. There was a threat to slow his steps, to dawdle in that absurd feeling from before when he heard the shout. Black Star was there just as the guards opened the door, gliding effortlessly between them to be the first on the scene, ready for another fight but finding nothing but Maka standing at the desk, her hands clenched into the back of the chair. "What is it?" Black Star let the annoyance saturate his voice as he moved towards her just in time to practically slip on the floor, his boots catching in a mess of liquid. "What the hell? Did you drop the fucking basin?"

"That's my _water_ , you _idiot_ ," she hissed through clenched teeth before it crumbled into another groan as she dug her grip harder into the chair.

"Oh, _shit_ ," Black Star croaked and for a moment he was gone, brain useless as his eyes moved between the puddle and her snapped jaw. Her next helpless yelp finally cinched everything together, Black Star's head turning to the men in the doorway. "Well, what the hell are you waiting for, dummies? Get the fucking priestess up here _now_ and tell Prince Soul his little meeting is over with."

* * *

The room was empty besides the strange man working his fingers over the arrangement of candles, moving them mere millimeters one way or the other with soft grunts to accompany each unsatisfactory shift. Soul paused for a moment on the threshold, giving into a momentary need to appraise the man that couldn't be that much older than himself, lithe to the point of almost scrawniness. "Who are you?"

The man jumped but was only off-guard for a breath's worth of time before turning smoothly to Soul. What he thought was black hair turned to white in strange stripes across his forehead, glowing yellow eyes unblinking in his direction. "You must be the prince."

"Soul," he nodded sharply, "but again, who are you?"

"I'm Kid," he offered without an ounce of flourish.

Soul paused, waiting for some kind of pedigree to trail after but all he could do was let his eyebrows furrow as nothing came. "Look, if you're some northern lord-"

"I'm not," Kid returned simply. "Or, technically, I am a Lord but that's not the capacity I'm here in so let's not bother with it. I'm actually surprised. I assumed I wouldn't be allowed to meet with you."

"Why's that?" Soul tried to lean nonchalantly in the doorway but his muscles were still clamped tightly, eyes trying desperately to untangle the cool on Kid's face.

"You were ill, weren't you? Some mysterious sickness that earned you the interesting nickname of the Sullen Prince," all of this was displayed with a dry categorizing that made Soul feel bare. "That is until those absurd marriage games that took the countryside by storm where a particular common-girl who'd been miraculously elevated stole the show to win your heart and your bed." None of the words came with dynamic storytelling, less of a bedtime tale and more a laundry list. "The origins of that common-girl have been much discussed-"

"If it's Princess Maka you have a problem with you can excuse yourself right now," Soul barely kept that from a hiss, leaving it as a low rumble in his chest. "Leave, don't come back, or I'll-"

"Not a _problem_ ," Kid cut him off sharply. "But I wonder if she's told you who her mother is, who her father is, and why that would bring me."

Soul chewed that over, teeth grinding until his jaw ached. "Her mother's a witch-hunter, her father a soldier."

"Technically both witch-hunters in their own right," Kid answered cooly, "which makes her one by default, or at least that was the plan. That's why she was allowed to live with Stein after he'd asked for permission from the council."

"What council?" Soul snapped.

"The Great Old Ones, but that's not important," Kid wiped away the thought with a hand but couldn't snatch it from Soul's mind.

"It is important when you're trying to say they decided my wife's _fate_ ," he hissed.

"Decided is a harsh word, maybe guided," he corrected nonchalantly. "But you, your sickness, plus Maka's power has created an interesting conundrum, hence why I'm here. Stein said-"

"Stein talked to you?" Soul balked.

"He's one of us, too," Kid answered with a shrug. "Partners with her father before her mother came around. She didn't tell you?"

"She told me," he spat, "but as far as I know she's not aware of some idiotic ancient order pulling strings and that the man she would consider a father was part of that."

Any of the anger in the room tumbled off of Kid's front, his expression of apathetic ease never changing. "Stein warned me that I should come for myself to see your children. I think I might be early, but-"

"My prince!" One of the breathless guards was in the doorway. "Black Star's requested you come to the princess."

Kid's eyebrows finally raised, "Looks like I'm right on time."

"My kids are none of your business," Soul snapped before pinning the guard to the stone. "You stay here with him. Don't let him move and don't say a fucking word about the princess." A thick gulp and a barely-there nod were all he got in return before Soul shot past the soldier. Each step was an eternity even though Soul's heart was racing without time. _It's too early, isn't it? Too fucking early. She's how many weeks? I… I can't fucking remember but it has to be too early._

As he turned the corner at the top of the stairs he collided with Liz, eyes wide but smile still amiable. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

"The babies," he pulled her close so the words only sputtered between the two of them. "I need you to get Kim, just in case, and don't, _don't_ let anyone else know. Not my mother, not my father, not even another fucking guard in this hallway."

Liz's forehead wrinkled as she started to grip him back. "Kim? Why Kim? And why are we keeping this a secret? Wait-" Liz cut off to give herself time and space to balk. "You still think they're going to hurt her, don't you? That they could be-"

"We don't know," Soul growled back, "but I'm sure as hell not taking any chances. So Kim and then you, all of the girls, keeping everyone out of here, keeping it quiet, _please_." Liz allowed one more shake from him before she peeled away, still a little of the dumbfounded daze on her face as she hurried back down the stairs. Soul started on his way again but his rush turned into a run as soon as he heard the raised voices.

"I'm not looking!" Black Star bellowed.

"That's not the point," Maka blared back as Soul rounded the corner of the doorway. "Soul," he was hoping for some relief in her voice but it was practically a growl, "get Black Star out of here before _I kill him_."

Black Star, who had been standing tucked in the corner, his face practically to the stone, threw his head over his shoulder to Soul. "I was only going to fucking stay until you arrived but she got completely unhinged as soon as Mira got here."

Mira sent exasperated eyes Soul's way as he looked between the two of them. Soul got three steady footsteps in, just starting to reach for her with his hands and his soft voice, "Maka, I'm sure he was just-"

Maka's mouth opened but instead of the retort came nothing more than a guttural groan as she clutched into the back of the chair again.

"Her contractions are very close together." Mira's hands went from Maka's back to the table, starting to arrange vials and pull over the basin. "We'll need fresh towels but other than that I'm fairly sure we won't be waiting long. Oh, maybe some hot water for tea."

"Tea?" Black Star balked. "She's fucking screaming and you want tea?"

"She's bound to scream," and to punctuate Mira's mirthful answer Maka let out another low bellow. "And it won't be for me. It'll be for her, for when it's over. Between the exhaustion and the need to nurse the babies, she'll want it. So, Black Star, please, would you mind?"

Black Star huffed as he turned out of the corner to come shoulder to shoulder with Soul. He dropped his voice to a low whisper, "Do you need me to take care of that man?"

"His name is Kid," Soul sighed back, "and, no, not for now. I feel like we'll need to talk to him, but the babies are a little more important right now. Help the girls keep the peace outside."

That should have been enough and his feet should have been catapulting him forward but Black Star let a breath pass between them, his eyes going from Maka to Soul before he barely let the words eke off his lips. "The babies are important but so is she, right?"

"Of course," Soul muttered back. "Her life…"

"Yeah," Black Star nodded. "I'll be back. Right outside the door though."

"Thanks." Soul bumped a fist to Black Star's, both exchanging soft grins before the boys parted. "What can I do?" Without guidance as Maka moaned again his fingers went to her hair, smoothing it from her forehead and away from the sweat that had started.

Those green eyes hit him with jumbled desperation, forcing out a slow breath through her nose. "You can tell me it's going to be fine," she murmured as she clenched her jaw against another sound.

"And you can put this cloth to her head," Mira finished with a soft smile as she glided the basin across the table. "Make sure it stays cool."

"Got it." His fingers hurried in their instruction as he tried the best smile he could in the face of her another blood-curdling groan from her. "It's going to be better than fine," he murmured as he ran the cloth along her hairline, clearing each bead of sweat as he pushed back the errant strands. "They'll be perfect, just like Stein said." _Say it again, say it a million more times, and make sure you smile while you say it because you don't believe it just yet yourself._ He swallowed the bitterness of it and Maka only thought the wince as a reply to the way she let out another miserable sound as she leaned against the chair.

Kim finally entered, towels tucked under her arm and tea tray in the other as she hurried nervously to Mira's side. "I've never delivered babies before."

Mira offered her a small smile, "Another set of hands never hurts."

"Especially your hands, Kim," Soul gave her a sure nod before looking at Mira. "Please trust her with everything."

"Even though she's a witch?" Mira offered back with a nonchalant air that made Kim freeze mid-hand off of the towels.

"Yes," Maka muttered through her teeth.

"Your mother would certainly have something to say about that," Mira started softly.

"Which one of them is here?" Maka sent a determined look over her shoulder. "Kim could have left a million times while my mother could have stayed. And who is here?"

Mira didn't say another word, just nodding slowly as she turned a gentle gaze Kim's way. "Will you pull up her dress for me?"

"Yes!" Kim jumped to be of help, rolling Maka's gown up around her waist.

"Maka, you'll want to lean a little more, bend and bow your legs if you can," Mira started behind her, letting two gentle hands run to her hips to try to ease the position. "Stay just like that."

Soul made a point to concentrate on Maka's face rather than the strange puddle that he was starting to notice on the floor or the bundle her gown was in. "How do you feel?" he heard the stupidity of the question as he loosed it and watched the ill-humor take her face.

"Like I'm being torn apart, Soul," she growled. "And the fact that you didn't even bother to wake me this morning-" her voice cut as another rasping, grinding groan but as soon as it was through she was sucking in air again to continue, "is practically unforgivable, especially since I managed three steps before the babies made it very clear that today was the day." Soul could hear Kim and Mira chuckle in unison as Maka paused for another breath. "So what the hell was so important that the two of you snuck off without me?"

Soul sighed as he rang out the cloth again and pressed it to her burning cheeks. "There's a man here, Kid, he wanted to talk to my father but apparently it's more that he wanted to talk to me."

"A man or a kid?" Maka narrowed her eyes in confusion.

"Kid is his name," Mira corrected from somewhere near the ground, obscured by Maka's skirts. "But you'll have to fight about this some other time. Maka, it's time to push."

"So you know him, too?" Soul rasped at Mira, almost threatening to look over the swell of cloth at Maka's back to see her.

"Later," Maka reminded him swiftly with a hand suddenly clenching tightly in his. "I know this is a stupid question, but are you sure, Mira? Now?"

"Do you want this to take longer?" Mira chuckled.

"No," Maka groaned. She slowed, taking a purposeful breath to fill her lungs as she desperately prayed for instinct to fill her.

Regardless of the panic electric in the room, Mira's voice came evenly without a hint of trembling. "Soul, take her dress from Kim, please. I'll need her hands."

His eyes left Maka's only long enough to replace Kim's hand, pulling up the fabric to the delicate curve of her back. There was a sickly wet sound, a splattering drip, and Soul just barely squeezed the terror from his eyes. "Maka-"

"Yes, Soul, it _hurts_ ," she snapped at him, "but that wasn't my guts. I'm fine."

"Good," he murmured tightly as he forced his other fingers back to their job, clearing hair and soothing the cloth over her face.

"Maka, push again."

 _Push, push, push_ , her mind rattled frantically but her body already seemed ahead of her and with another bolstered breath a second wave took her.

"Once more." Excitement was unmistakably twinkling in Mira's voice.

"You're doing amazing, Maka," Soul murmured to her and Maka could only nod quickly before sucking in air again.

This push rattled her, sending a strange weightlessness as a rush of blood seemed free in her veins. It was a desperately needed relief until the sound of Kim's gasp broke the quiet. "What is it?" Maka practically shrieked as she pulled in another breath. "Soul, the baby!"

His mind couldn't explain the hesitation, the way he wanted to just take in her face, for her to be the only thing he saw because of all the options that were waiting for him behind the gown. Soul swallowed dryly, it clattering through his throat rather than a smooth roll as he leaned to see Mira transferring the little thing to Kim's hands. As if it was nothing more than another one of his nightmares, the face was black, a thin veil of midnight strangling the baby's face. "Mira," he choked.

"It's fine," and those words came as if to describe the weather. "It's rare," she calmed Kim's trembling hand before reaching to the table for the knife and carefully sliced a shallow line over the membrane. "It's a caul. Technically good luck."

"And a sign of power," Kim whispered shakily.

"That, too," Mira nodded slowly as she peeled away the layer from the baby's face, letting a wild bray echo in the room. "But see? Perfectly fine and a boy at that."

"A boy." The relief rattled all the way to Maka's bones, only bolstered as Soul's lips touched softly to her forehead.

"And perfect," he reminded her as scarlet eyes met hers. "I thought for sure…"

"I know," Maka croaked, "but let's wait to celebrate until the second."

"Maka's right," Mira chimed before disappearing under Maka's skirt again. "Kim, wash our little prince and give him to his father, won't you?"

Now Soul's eyes wandered freely, watching as Kim rinsed the wriggling, crying little thing in the tepid water.

"Soul, it may sound strange, but take off your shirt before you take the baby."

"It does sound strange," Soul murmured almost incoherently, his mind still clinging to the little movements in the tub, the wailing that had sputtered down to little croaks.

"The warmth of your skin," Mira's voice was just as soothing, "and your heartbeat will calm him. Keep him still and good until Maka's ready."

"Alright…" His mind was still barely there but he tossed the washcloth back to the desk before fixing Maka's gown in place. He lost his shirt just in time to see Kim lift the baby out of the water, using a fresh towel to wipe away the last bit of detritus. The little body was tinier than Jason but as Kim moved the bundle to Soul's arms it eased to him as naturally as breathing. He let his son nuzzle to his chest, still tiny cries breaking from even tinier lips. Without much thought, he started to try to find that rhythm as Stein had instructed him weeks ago.

While Maka wanted to take her time to watch the moment, her body was still urging towards action. There was no rest, just another profound push upon each of Mira's instructions. Maybe it took longer because of the anticipation, the way that one in the world with the promise of a second left them all on edge, but Maka ticked away the minutes as she stared at Soul so utterly taken with his first son. It was relief in the sight of pain, surety blossoming in no way tenuously in her chest. If there was any last speck of doubt about them it drifted off especially as he ripped his eyes from the tiny face to look at hers, eyebrows suddenly furrowing at his neglected job. He went back to juggling her and the baby, dabbing the rewetting cloth to her forehead.

There was still no cry, even as Maka felt that final weight fall from her, and Soul peeked over her shoulder to see the same, a black face waiting to be freed. Mira was quicker this time, ripping the caul without a second thought as Kim cleared the rest away from the baby in the basin. "Another boy," Mira said with mirth and wonder.

"Two boys," Maka let out a long breath, trying to let the reality of it settle in her. "Wes and Crona. Our two sons."

"Wes and Crona," Soul echoed as he looked down at the little bundle in his arms.

"Why don't you help her to bed?" Mira asked gently as she easily scooped the baby from Soul's arms, leaving a strange emptiness to his fingers. He filled it with Maka, gently lifting her into his arms from the strained position at the chair before transferring her to the bed. He watched in dismay as there was still some staining to the sheets, a pale sheen to her face. "It's expected," Mira read the thought right off his face. "She'll bleed a little, obviously be tired, but nothing about that birth was strange."

"Nothing?" Soul narrowed his eyes at Mira. "Those… cauls you called them? The black, that wasn't strange?"

"Cauls I've seen before," Mira answered steadily as she brought the first boy to Maka, laying him gently on her chest. "Rare, like I said, but not unheard of and good luck at that. And, no, not black, that's a first, but we could have expected something like that."

Soul couldn't help the grimace but it dissipated as Maka reached for him, her warmly burning fingers trailing his chest. "They're both fine, Soul. Look at them. They both look like you," the pride of that purred off her tongue. "Red eyes, both of them. Wes and Crona," she repeated with a wisp of delirious happiness. Kim laid the other baby on the other side of Maka's chest, mirror images of each other.

"Maka…" he climbed into bed next to her, careful to arrange his arms to keep the babies close to her, to hold them all together. "Thank you," he murmured softly as he nuzzled his nose to her hairline, planting soft kisses there.

While Maka would never be entirely sure what she was being thanked for at that moment, she tilted her head and let their lips meet sweetly, sealing the memory with a kiss.


	51. Chapter 51

The sisters had started a circle of conspiratorial whispers that Tsubaki was barely able to tear herself from. _They're right - he is acting strange but it's… am I about to say it's a good strange?_ No matter what she could convince her mind of the worry was still there, and she urged her feet forward to the wall next to Black Star who was still engulfed in feverish writing. "Black Star?"

He looked up at her for no more than a snap of his neck before he was back to his work and grumbling, "Did someone go back down and check on that guy, Kid, again?"

"Liz just got back from it."

Black Star grunted approval.

"Do you need more paper?" Tsubaki offered gently as her foot nudged the sad pile of crumpled sheets that had only been growing over the past few minutes.

His eyes dropped to the movement and his jaw clenched. "I need…" _Say something stupid. Something mindless. A joke about her legs around your head or-_ "Can you write?"

"I can." Tsubaki dropped down next to him, her knees dangerously close to him.

"It doesn't matter what Stein's looks like," Black Star muttered just into the space between them, "and that's the one I already sent, but the other announcements to the other lords, I guess they should look good."

"Oh," Tsubaki perked, a smile stretching across her lips. "That's sweet that you'd start the birth announcements for them."

"Well, Stein has to know _now_ ," Black Star barked back but it softened under her gaze and drizzled down back to a whisper. "Write the other ones for me."

"Of course." Tsubaki held out patient hands for the parchment and quill.

He handed the goods over but his fingers hung between them even as the solidity left them. "Thanks." The only right reaction was to jump to his feet, starting the new, painful task of running a rut into the floor in front of Maka's door. It was then that the wail came, not the frustrated, pained one he'd already heard a dozen times from Maka but a tinny, shrill call that snapped all the heads in the room to the door.

"Sounds like the first baby is here," Liz cooed happily.

"And with lungs good enough for the world to hear," Patty finished with a smile.

Black Star couldn't produce a sound, his feet frozen in front of the door as all of him coiled in wait. Behind him, he could hear their murmurs continue and the scrape of the pen to paper but that wasn't what his ears were grasping for, just a horrible ticking countdown for Soul's scream or Maka's, the idea of a second normal cry never coming to him. That is until it did, in another but stronger bawl. There was a surge of relief that Black Star choked, but he still managed to turn his head towards the girls. "Maybe we should place bets on a third?"

Liz rolled her eyes, "If there's a third, I'll kiss you."

"Oh, don't make promises you won't keep," Black Star crooned back to her but instantly cut the rest of the fun with a sharp turn of his head. He was intent on the door again, mostly waiting but also willing it to open, to give comforting sights to the sounds.

It took years, Black Star's hand starting to waver at the handle of the door before it creaked open, Soul's face with an oddly brilliant smile bursting from the corners. Before words could slip from that grin, Black Star found the worried ones croaking from his throat, "She's alright?"

"Fine," Soul nodded with a still trembling surety. "And so are the two little princes, Wes and Crona."

There was joy erupting all around him and while some of it had eked into his heart Black Star still wouldn't let it to his face. His hand grasped at Soul's shoulder, pulling the other boy close in a way that made his arms stiff from the inexperience. Soul waited for a whisper since he was sure now that secrecy was usually the only reason for Black Star to get this close but none of it came, just the two of them grasping tightly to one another.

It was Soul that finally murmured, "I think you can see them if you want. She's in a much better mood now that she's not in pain."

"No," he answered tightly as he pulled away. "There's too much to do anyway and the girls are probably dying as it is." Black Star leaned down and snatched the papers from Tsubaki before turning his glare to the sisters. "Go in and see her, the lot of you."

"Captain's orders," Liz laughed as she squeezed past him, pulling Patty along with her.

"I can finish those," Tsubaki offered her hand back for the stack but Black Star gave her a terse shake of his head. "Alright, but later, then…"

"Just go in already," Black Star grumbled as he grabbed the hand she had left for the letters and pulled her to her feet.

"Thank you," she murmured with a smile before bowing her head to Soul.

"You could be nicer," Soul chuckled.

"Don't you start, too," he hissed before pressing the papers to Soul's chest. "Look, I already sent a messenger directly to Stein which means we can assume he'll be here along with probably her father in tow. Some of the other letters are done but those should be sent tomorrow at the latest. Two heirs are good news and after the witch bullshit these lords'll eat it up."

"Thanks," Soul laughed softly. "Since when are you so on top of things? I thought you were the captain of my guard, not my steward."

Black Star knocked him in the shoulder before taking a few steps out of his reach for retaliation. "I'm whatever the hell gets both of you safe and sound so that I can take a damn rest."

Soul sent a hesitant look back at the doorway before settling half of a smile on Black Star. "Really, come in and see her. The babies, too, then you go ahead and take the rest of the night off. Actually, get some sleep."

He shook his head slowly. "I'll place my bets on tomorrow being the first time she wants to see my face, but tonight… tonight I'm guarding your room. No one else. I'll take tomorrow night off."

"Black Star-" Soul started but another shake of his head muted the rest of Soul's words.

"Go on, go back in," he waved Soul off but those red eyes spent another moment appraising him before starting slow steps into the room. Black Star let out a long, low exhale as he slid down the wall, planting himself next to the door. _Why don't I want to look? What is it about it that I don't want to see? What do I expect? I'm not jealous, but there's something about it I don't want to face or feel and I can't._

* * *

Soul wished when he closed his eyes it was only the soft hum of Maka's breath that he heard or the rustle of the sheets as his legs moved restlessly. Instead, it was a clamoring overlap of a million different conversations, most of them just the words whispered in the back of his own mind but now joined by Kid's voice. There were the old ones too: Free, Yaara, Stein, all of them spinning his thoughts about the tiny bundles at the end of their bed.

Like most new parents he was up, slipping out of bed into the inky darkness but not because of the way sweet little cries could stir that kind of movement but instead to let anxious feet bring him to soft cherubic faces shining in the moonlight. _My sons_ , the idea still struck him as strange and when he settled down on his knees next to them, legs tight between the two cribs, the two sets of eyes blinked open at him as if to answer it. Maka had been right, there wasn't any argument that these two were his boys with stark white hair and crimson eyes that were maybe just a shade deeper, a little more mahogany or cherry or -

 _I desperately wish they were green. And hopefully, their hair darkens to at least Maka's or even better a dirty blond because they'll look human. I still don't feel like they're-_ He tried to crush the thought to the back of his mind as he watched the fragile hands lift in the air, both of them starting in trembling grasps as the boys tested coos and the beginnings of other contented sounds. As Soul lifted his hand he stopped, eyes falling on his own fingers hovering in the air with a distinctive tremor, one that his breath suddenly shared. Instead of reaching for them, his hands joined together, his fingers plucking the ring from his right hand and holding it in the air.

He hated the thought; it was an oily, slimy beast gnawing on his heart. Even though the shame enveloped him he reached the ring forward towards the tiny outstretched hand.

 _What will you do? What will do you if that hand fizzles, sizzles, oozes into nothing? What will you do to the other?_ _What will you tell Maka?_ Was that even his voice or did it sound like Yaara? Or maybe even a little bit of that horrible thing that trounced around in his dreams?

The gold shimmered and the delicate digits reached and Soul let them meet, his heart jumping into his mouth only to crumble to ash, making his tongue feel thick and useless. There was no change besides another soft croon set free into the darkness and the flexing of those working, exploring fingers. As the heat started to burn the rims of his eyes he moved the ring away to the other boy, expecting his world to collapse, the reality of it to disintegrate but finding only the serene normalcy to torture him.

The sob caught in his throat, grating against his flesh until it was raw and ripped. He forced the ring back onto his finger and caught his head in his hands, letting his shoulders rattle with the next wave.

"Soul?"

"Fuck," he let tremble hoarsely from his mouth.

"What is it?" Maka didn't bother to get out of the bed, her body still stuck from the exhaustion of it all, but she crawled to the foot so her face could peek over the edge. "Are the boys alright?"

"Fine," he croaked.

"But you're not alright," she murmured.

Soul's hands fell away from his face and his eyes searched up at her. "I'm sorry," a more pathetic plea had never come from those lips, so awash with misery.

Maka's hand reached down for him but she watched him hesitate, sad eyes turning to the tips of her fingers. "For what?"

"I…" the words had no sense or sorting. He wanted to scream that he'd had been ready to be a murder, to destroy those beautiful bundles they'd worked so hard to create and keep safe. "I touched them with the ring."

"Oh." Maka dropped her chin to her hand, staring at him thoughtfully but to his surprise wiggling her fingers and renewing the request for his touch. "What did you expect to happen?" Nothing but analysis saturated her voice and maybe just a hint of wonder, leaving Soul spellbound for as long as it took his hand to reach up to hers.

"I wanted them to be alright," he heaved the words like a rock from his chest.

"And they are," Maka nodded.

"But I shouldn't have needed to," he hiccuped through another wave of tears. "I should have looked at them and just _known_ , _trusted_ , but I couldn't. I'm…"

"Still thinking like _you're_ a monster," she corrected easily, sending a chill up his spine. As he gulped down a groan she smiled softly and ran a thumb over his knuckles. "You were so excited, that night you found out, that night with the ring and my mother. I thought maybe it had settled, that the idea had stuck. I told you I already knew that you were fine and I wasn't lying, but I thought maybe that would be enough to bring you to the same conclusion I'd come to almost the first time we touched again." A forlorn sigh broke up the words before she continued, "but I saw the way you looked at them the first time. It wasn't the look a wife expects to have on the face of her husband at the birth of their children."

"I'm sorry," he moaned again.

"I'm not saying you should be," Maka murmured back with a swift shake of her head. "Because it wasn't hatred. It wasn't that you wished them gone or wanted them killed - it was sadness. So much searing pain right across your face that I knew then that you hadn't given it up, hadn't stopped thinking of yourself as a monster and saw that reflected in them." She tapped the ring carefully with her nail, a soft clink that still made him wince. "But you're not. They're not. They'll be good boys because they have a good man for a father. A man who will teach them to worry about giving into the darker side of themselves, one that we all have but maybe our boys might have to fight a little stronger than others. You'll be there to teach them through that, though, and I never for a moment felt like I couldn't trust you with that."

The air crinkled in his throat, crushed by another rattling cry that took him. Maka waited, squeezing his hand through each tremble as she reached out the other and stroked his hair. A grumble started as an echo to Soul's sob and on the next sweep through his hair, Maka lifted his head back to look at her. "Wes is calling for you, Soul. Pick up your son, hold him. I have a feeling he's not exactly hungry just yet."

Staring at her was simply creating the time he wanted for her to take it all back, to bolster all those dark things that whispered at the edges of his heart but all he got to fill the time was her soft smile and the beckoning of his son. Soul turned towards the cry, seeing the pouting lip and the creased forehead that was starting without tears. The way his hands slid under the bundle was automatic, cradling the head and lifting little Wes out of his not so restful resting place. With a few sniffles, Soul brought the boy to his chest, hands cradling and soothing as he let his breath start to even.

There was easy silence again.


	52. Chapter 52

Maka tried not to give away her studying, only sending sideways glances at Soul from her spot on the bed. He was intently listening to his mother's sweet chatter as she held Crona but his eyebrows were tempting to furrow leaving Maka dissecting the moment. Her mind only drifted off it momentarily as Wes detached from her breast, letting out a soft mewling that spoke to Maka that he was much more interested in play now. "Would you take him?" Maka had started to interrupt but Soul was already on his feet from the call of the tiny voice that was continuing to coo in her arms.

"He's a noisy one," the queen laughed happily. "Much like your brother. You named him quite right."

"Really?" Soul's voice warbled as he sat back down with his son, staring at the tiny face that was speaking that sing-song language of sweet nonsense noises.

The queen nodded with glowing surety as she leaned forward, examining the other boy before starting another story giddy with a rush of long obscured happiness. Maka finished fixing her blouse just as the door popped open, Black Star's steps hesitating just at the threshold of the scene. "Oh, the captain finally shows his face," Maka teased as she edged out of the bed. "Come, meet the boys."

Black Star only offered a casual glance at the glowing Queen and Soul before focusing on Maka. "We have some business that can't be put off. That lord, Kid."

"You were supposed to be taking today off," Soul chided before standing, bringing the still chatty infant to Black Star. "Here, take Wes."

"Take him?" Black Star balked. "I'm just here to get you and then-"

"Maka and I will talk to Kid. You'll stay here with the Queen."

 _With the fucking Queen?_ Black Star just barely bit the words on his tongue as he blundered through Soul handing off the small bundle into his arms. _Oh_ , his mind screamed as he looked at Wes, watching the little face that looked so much like Soul smile up at him. There it was, that strange, undulating feeling that had a life of its own, a bird trapped in his chest that was fluttering from throat to gut. _This is why I didn't want to come, see these things, because that feeling_ -

Maka put a hand on his shoulder as she leaned in. "Don't drop him, please."

"I'm not an idiot," he hissed out in a whisper. "But why the hell am I staying here?"

"Consider it your rest," Soul answered with a smirk as he took Maka by the elbow. "Don't worry, we'll make it quick."

 _Don't worry?_ Black Star almost barked back but the two of them were already with their back to him and the Queen would be the only one brunt of his anger, something he knew was entirely out of the question. Black Star cleared his throat, "Your majesty."

"It's alright, captain, come sit. I have to say I can't get enough of seeing both of my grandsons, even if they're identical." Black Star followed orders, easing into the chair next to the Queen. Against his better judgment, he narrowed his eyes at the tiny face before looking at the other in the Queen's arms. "Crona has a mark," he muttered.

"What?" the Queen's voice fluttered back.

"Looks like a scar, right side of his jaw," Black Star looked back at Wes in his arms, "and his hair's a shade darker. Just barely."

The Queen scoffed lightly but as she looked between the two infants, all she could do was nod. "Always observant, captain. Your praise is well-deserved."

"Crona's got Maka's face, too, the nose," his voice was barely more than a murmur now. "Wes looks like Prince Wes, though. He's… named right."

"I agree," the Queen's tone matched his as her fingertips ran over the peach-fuzz hair. "And this one? Crona? Who was he named for?"

"A friend," Black Star answered quickly. "Died recently because of that bu-" he barely caught himself from cursing, "business with the witches."

That only received a weak, warbling sigh.

"Majesty," Black Star's eyes moved without hesitation to the Queen's face. "Your son died because of witches. Your other son almost died to them as well. Now your grandbabies. I think it's time to admit now that you were wrong."

Those eyes that were the closest to Soul's with their deep rosy chestnut hue widened.

"And I know you could have me killed for that," he added with a half-hearted chuckle, "but I won't take it back. I loved Prince Wes just as much as Prince Soul did and I'll never let what happened to him happen to the rest of your family but you have to meet me halfway. We both know that you're in the King's ear, so the next thing you whisper better be that we're going to take care of the kingdom, protect it like Prince Soul wants."

"That almost sounds like a threat," the Queen murmured.

"Could be," Black Star shrugged. "But would you blame me? When you look at them…" he jutted a chin out at the baby in her arms, "... and your son and his wife, you look at all of them and you tell me that you're not going to do anything you can to protect them." _That's what it is, isn't it? The feeling, the only thing I'm scared of in this whole damn world._

"And what do you suggest, then?"

Black Star pulled in as much air as he could before letting his callous fingers touch the smoothest cheek. "Let 'em rule."

* * *

Maka settled a few steps ahead of Soul as they made their way into the meeting hall, Kid standing at the wall arranging candlesticks just as Soul had left him before. He started to absently wonder if Kid had actually spent the entire time there but he didn't have a moment to even draw breath before Kid turned excitedly towards them, "Ah, Maka! It's so wonderful to meet you."

" _Princess_ Maka," Soul noted sharply.

Kid chuckled in reply, "Princess Maka. I'm surprised to see you so very quickly recovered."

"Well, if I'm such a powerful common-girl then shouldn't I be instantly back at work after giving birth?" Maka quirked her head to the side quizzically.

Soul grunted a laugh.

Kid smiled dryly, "Then I assume the birth went well? The babies are normal?"

"They were always going to be normal," Maka snapped back impatiently, "and who told you about them in the first place?"

"Stein," Soul answered for him.

"And your mother," Kid added calmly. "I've also had trickles of information from Mira as well."

Maka's hands started into fists but as soon as Soul's hand touched the small of her back the nails relaxed from the skin. "And for what purpose?"

"As I tried to tell your husband, as a witch-hunter you're part of the organization, beholden to the Great Old Ones, just like the rest."

"I'm _beholden_ to no one," Maka shook her head with a laugh, "and I've never been informed that my birth made me part of some club."

"Organization," Kid corrected as he started to leaf through the inside of his vest pocket. "And your mother advised me I might need proof, so she penned this letter-"

Maka took it from Kid's hands and proceeded to rip it to shreds, tossing the wayward debris to the wind. Soul practically choked on a laugh. "I don't care what my mother says," Maka grumbled. "None of it will make me trust you. You say Stein knew and I'm sure you'll say Marie and my father did as well. They're all on their way here I'm sure so you'll wait for them to corroborate your story before I even humor any request."

"Fair enough," Kid nodded.

Maka threw her head over her shoulder to Soul, watching as he raised his eyebrows in reply. "Where do you want him?" Soul leaned closer to her. "You trust this enough to leave him to his own devices?"

"Well, is Free busy?" Maka batted charming eyelashes at Soul.

Soul scoffed, "Free is not going to want to watch _him_."

"No," Maka smiled with surety, "but he will protect the babies. He wants his favors, after all, doesn't he?"

* * *

Black Star shot into the room without knocking, making Maka jump from her spot at the desk. "I thought I made it clear that as soon as the two of you were married, I wasn't going to be your servant boy anymore."

"All I did was call for you," Maka sighed exasperatedly as she let her eyes drift back to her letter, finishing the line.

"Which means you want something, so what is it, princess?" But the urgency and annoyance that should have saturated every last bit of that sentence was gone, Black Star kneeling carefully between the two cribs, alternating back and forth between the two sets of red eyes staring at him. "You'll learn that your mother is impossible but let me be the first one to tell you that she can be a real-"

"I wanted to ask you about something," Maka cut in, saving her delicate babies' ears from his ridiculousness.

"Spit it out." He sat back on his haunches, turning sharp eyes towards her.

"Soul said you loved me once."

He was frozen for a moment, not a cornered animal but more a statue without thought. A disgusted groan left his lips, "Why that _idiot_ ever told you that, I'll never know. That was all him, got it? It's not like I fell in love with you on that stupid trip."

"No," Maka shook her head as her eyebrows crinkled. "But when we were younger."

"What? You want some kind of compliment from me?" He grimaced.

Maka rolled her eyes, "No, that's not it, I-"

"There's no point," he muttered. "No point for him to bring it up and not for you, either, other than to annoy the fuck out of me." His eyes fell away from hers and looked back towards the tiny faces, reaching a hand out and finding tiny fingers grasping for it.

"He was right, though," Maka continued with a sigh. "You and I made more sense together, didn't we? Commoner with a commoner. I'm sure if you had tried-"

" _If_ I had tried?" Black Star scoffed. "You only had eyes for him and I've never been stupid."

"But-"

"You saying you wanted it a different way?" There was a playful lilt but Maka felt a strange rage bubbling, the edges of his soul blaring out with heat. Suddenly, before she could even intake breath to create words, it fizzled and she realized it was because his other hand had come to her second son, now both of Black Star's hands becoming playthings for them. "Like I said, I'm not stupid. You and I wouldn't have made sense, whether we're common or not, because you're just as much a pain in the ass as I am. Neither of us would have done the other any good, not the way he does for you. He keeps you in check, the same way you do to him. You and I would have just… well, we're both just too reckless. End of story. And again, it's not like any of that's leftover. I let it die with that punch years ago." Black Star let the babies get a few more coos out into the silence before he stood, gently unraveling his fingers from their holds. "Look, if that's all-"

"It's not."

"Of course," Black Star groaned.

"You've barely even looked at her since you got back."

He snapped on his heels to face her, a finger pointing accusingly under her nose. "It's none of your business what I do. I'm going to-" Her smile fizzled the rest of that sentence, not an ounce of annoyance but simply a kind of reined in joy.

Maka raised her eyebrows, waiting for the rest of his admonishment before she laughed. "You're nervous, and that's OK."

"Nervous?" he scoffed as he let his finger drop away. "First you think I love you, now you think I love her, and me, of all people, nervous? Birthing these babies has sucked the brain right out of your head."

It was as if his lips never erupted the sound because Maka continued without hesitation, "But it's important that you don't miss your chance. She's seen the change in you, but the secondary change of not giving her any attention is a little of a mixed message."

"It's none of your business," he grumbled again.

"Especially because I've offered her, well, all the girls, a ladyship."

"You _what_?" That came with fire but the feeling of heavy coals in his belly to stoke it.

"I offered them all what I thought would be the biggest reward," Maka shrugged easily in the face of his horror. "Not to mention the fact that Soul's all about giving everyone equal footing so it was a logical choice."

"Tsubaki, a lady?" he uttered uselessly. "I mean, all the girls, those kitchen girls, ladies in your court?"

"Yes," Maka nodded with a pleased surety, "and I guess that was the other reason I invited you here, my own curiosity and then your reward. I remember two deals, one about getting me home in time and you came through for that and another as repayment for not telling you about Crona." The name gave her pause for a moment and Black Star let her have it. "And I remember two wants, godfather and a lordship."

She watched his eyebrows flick, threatening to warble just like his lips before he snapped at her, "I don't want _shit_ , I was doing my job, what Soul asked-"

"Soul's already said you're godfather to the boys," Maka cut in with a quick lightness untarnished by his tone. "And I guess I'll agree. You're going to be the one they always want to go to anyway when they have a disagreement with one of us, I'm sure."

"I…" He stammered that out, red coming to his neck that wasn't entirely anger anymore.

"And the whole city is talking about how the captain of the guard brought the princess home safe to her husband," Maka added a sing-song tone just to watch him bristle further. "I think it'd be a shock if you didn't get lorded, or even put on the war council right next to Stein."

"I don't need it," he slipped through a tight jaw. "I don't need you to tell me I'm the best and give me all this bullshit. I've got the fame, the attention, so I don't need your handouts."

Maka sighed as she let his words trickle over in her mind again before carefully letting loose a soft whisper. "You were right, about Soul and I. I need him. He keeps me grounded and I suppose I do the same for him. I wonder if you think Tsubaki's done that for you, or if she _could_ do that for you if you let her. If you stopped being the best for just long enough to realize that maybe someone else could make you better. Because I don't know if you noticed it, but when you came home, the way you looked at her-"

"Wasn't the way she looked at me," he said with cold finality. "So mind your business."

She stared at the grizzly wall he'd put up, his features stony and dull that she would have expected was the one on his face when he tossed her father in the dust. He didn't have the nerve to heave her over in her chair but she was sure he had at least considered it, probably envisioned the entire moment in his mind. "I won't."

Black Star blinked slowly, absorbing it before giving up, turning away from her quickly and starting for the door. He had just reached it, just pulled it open to find that raven-haired beauty staring back at him, expressive indigo eyes lighting up as they reached his face. He could hear Marie's little etiquette lessons from years ago resounding in his mind, _excuse me_ sitting on his lips and he knew it should come but he bit into it, throwing his head over his shoulder back to Maka. "Don't call for me again."


	53. Chapter 53

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to interrupt your regularly scheduled SoMa for some Black Star and Tsubaki (I literally don't know the cool abbreviation for this pairing?). Also, I always make myself cry when I write father/daughter scenes and I did it again.

Black Star was leaning over his desk, an activity that was essentially strange to him since what use did he have of letters or other's compositions but it was just as good a place to stare as his bed. He was examining the grain as he chewed over Maka's words, hating her more with every passing second even though any other man would easily admit that it wasn't loathing he was feeling. "Stupid," he muttered.

The knock at the door was soft, definitely a trick of his ears.

"What is it?" he called out, sure to hear nothing but a ghost in the hall.

The hinges creaked in reply, and a beautiful cascade of dark hair came before an even more lovely face. "Can I come in?"

He tempered his mostly joyous wave of acquiescence with the snap of his voice, "What do you want?"

"The princess-" Tsubaki cut herself off with a laugh before correcting, "Maka said that you weren't feeling well, suggested I bring your favorite." She stepped the rest of the way into the room, a tray in her hand with a pitcher and glass, wafting the barley smell into the room.

"That bitch," he muttered as he turned his head back to the wood grain.

"I'm sure the prince wouldn't appreciate that language." The scolding brought red creeping up his neck, only flushing worse as she came next to him at the desk and slid the tray into his view. "She worries about you."

"No one asked her to," he muttered back as he grabbed the glass and started for the pitcher. Even after he'd filled it he didn't bring it to his lips, just staring at the amber liquid.

"I'll leave you then."

Black Star swore he could hear a sigh at the end of it that made his fingers clenched into the goblet. As her footsteps got dangerously far away he cleared his throat. "I heard she offered you a ladyship."

Thankfully the footfalls stopped. "She did. For all of us."

"Nice for you."

"I didn't choose just yet."

"Don't see why you wouldn't. Out of the kitchen, the whole gaggle of you together. No more work to be done since you'll all be thrown to handsome lords that'll spoil you." A soft laugh came from her lips and he turned his head to see a vibrant smile on her face. "You laugh but it's the truth."

"You are good at that, telling the truth," a wistful sigh followed that one and he narrowed his eyes at her but that only seemed to encourage her smile. "I heard you asked for godfather."

Black Star snorted, "She told you that?"

"Yes, and I was surprised." That smile was starting to irk him and he toyed with ways to negate it.

He still hesitated, words leaving his mouth that had escaped from the background of his mind. "Had nothin' else to ask for."

"You didn't want a lordship? Maka seems to want to change things, Soul, too, I suppose." Her fingers were dancing at the edge of her apron, making a pittering pattern along the hem.

"Me? A Lord?" he scoffed but had to let his eyes fall back to the beer, not able to take another second of that stupid smile.

"I wouldn't have imagined you as a nurse either, but I've seen you with the little princes."

A grunt involuntarily dislodged from his throat and the red crept further into his cheeks. "I go where Soul goes and he spends so much damn time with those _infants_ that-" He cut himself off with the cup to his lips, taking a sloshing sip that almost choked him.

She didn't seem to notice the intensity of his swig, her answer coming back in the same pleasant lilt. "He is a good father, don't you think?"

"He's fine," he gritted between his teeth so hard it echoed in the silence in between.

"Would you like me to go?"

He huffed, "I think you should take the ladyship."

She laughed sweetly, "If we're offering unsolicited advice, I think you should take the lordship."

"I-" The words died on his lips as he turned his head back to her. "I'm best the way I am."

"That's true," she nodded solemnly. "Probably more than the best, but I'm not entirely sure that you would let being a lord change who you are, and maybe I think that's why you should take it."

The revolution of his eyebrows continued unabated, up and down as he thought to snap at her but that smile was wearing him thin and her _lips_. He stood up slowly, abandoning his hold on the cup and finding that no matter the steps forward she didn't balk, didn't move, just stood, smiling but still worrying her fingers into the cloth. He had gotten too close to her and he knew it, his fists almost into those fine fingers as his eyes focused on the movement so that the words could actually leave his lips because those eyes wouldn't allow for him to speak, not for the life of him. "Do you like who I am?"

"I think so," the words came with an amused sureness.

"But you didn't before."

"No, I did," she laughed, "but maybe your actions took a little polishing. You've grown, I think. Before, you didn't like to show who you really are. It seems easier for you now, even if you're being difficult at the moment."

"Difficult," he scoffed. One fist unclenched and it was the first time in active memory that his fingers ever trembled like that, jittering until they reached her hand and stopped the motion. Pulling her hand shouldn't have brought her with it but the distance closed anyway and he just let his lips touch hers. Nothing desperate, because he wasn't, not at all, obviously, but just a softness that again was never part of his own recollections of himself. "You should take the ladyship," he echoed again over her lips.

"Then you would have to take the lordship, wouldn't you?"

He could practically feel the turn of her smile, the way it grew across her face. He grunted again but it was really nothing more than a sigh. "Let me court you."

"Court me?" That innocent lilt was deadly, especially that close.

"I'm not chasing after you," he griped.

"Because chasing would be…?"

"Your skirt above your head," he sighed. "But I want to… try the rest of it. With you."

"And I have to give my permission?"

"Yes," he launched back in exasperation.

A delicate giggle erupted from her throat and he tugged at her hand again, still too proud to admit he was desperate to kiss her but feeling it all the same. "Court me, then, Lord Star."

"Don't call me that," he grumbled before losing the fight with himself. One hand sunk into her hair and the other tangled into the apron at her waist, tugging her close enough to him that he could steal her warmth. That ache was nowhere near fed but he swallowed it, letting his hands come away even though he found hers gently sitting on his chest, burning a hole through his shirt. "Go back to Maka and tell her to mind her own business."

Tsubaki's fingers tapped into the fabric as she pressed her lips together to savor the sensation. "I'll tell her something nicer than that."

"Of course you will," he sighed. "I didn't need her help, I would have-" It was no use, the words jamming on his tongue especially as she giggled again.

"I know," she whispered before letting her hands fall away but not fall back into anxious pulling but simple relief at her sides. "Good night."

"'Night." He stepped back, leaving her space to turn and move towards the door. He watched her hair wrinkle over her back and he wanted his hands there again, pulling her back to him because he wanted whatever it was Maka had impressed in his brain, whatever idea had started to spring to life the minute she uttered those stupid words about him. "She didn't tell me to say any of that, alright?" He hated the childish ring to it but she didn't bristle, just shooting a smile over her shoulder. "And don't expect any less from me," it was a solid order, like he was yelling at his men on the field. "I'm the best at everything I do, so…"

Tsubaki nodded as a flush of pink took her cheeks. "I expect a lot from you."

* * *

Sleepless nights were in steady supply with two hungry mouths but Maka was finding less of her slumber stolen by them and more by the anxious wait. Time was measured by seconds and she was sure that any one of those would produce the people she needed to see, the real answers to compare to the ones she so desperately had already created in a million different scenarios in her head.

It was in the dead of one of those nights that her watchful eye paid off, only allowing it to rest on her husband and sons for a moment before slipping out of the room, leaving them in blissful ignorance. The first moments of walking out into the yard produced joy: Marie clutching her tightly in an embrace that brought her heart to a steady strum, and Spirit tentatively reaching for her and Maka falling into it, his lips brushing her cheek like they used to when she was small enough to fit into his arms. It was the last face that made Maka shut that door, clamping the elation tightly behind that barrier she had so often used to keep it safe. "I need to talk to you." Maka used every last ounce of that princess voice as she could muster.

"Yes, of course," Stein replied with a smile so knowing that Maka felt her gut and her resolve turn.

Both anxious pairs parted and while the other two were on a crash course for Soul, Maka could barely give it a second of thought. Instead, the questions zinged over her lips, fighting for first as she led Stein to a quiet, barely used study. Inky black tucked in every corner of the room so Maka knelt and started at the hearth. As soon as it offered a tiny glow of light and the promise of warmth, Maka stood and turned to Stein.

Stein raised a hand as he leaned against the desk, his head dipping as if to bow. "This is overdue. I'll ask that you let me start and what I don't answer you can ask after."

Maka nodded firmly while all the rest of her wavered like stalks of grain against the wind. That crushing worry was lapping at her again, that preemptive feeling of loss, and she clenched her fingers into the stone of the hearth in a weak attempt to keep it from clubbing her.

"I have committed many sins," Stein offered without an ounce of pity, "but I consider none more egregious than the ones against you. I won't ask for your forgiveness, nor do I plan to receive it: I only ask that my transgressions are not confused with Marie. Do not punish her for any of this because the only hand she has ever played was loving you because she wanted to. You are her daughter, Maka, simply because that's what she wished, what she felt for you from the beginning."

That nod came with a trembling and more pressure on the unforgiving rock.

"I have always known Yaara was alive." That was weight from Stein's chest but the words came with a light factualness. "I never received confirmation from her of that fact, but my close contact with Kid and his father, aptly named Death, often gave me news of her and her travels in the world. I purposefully kept from her what Spirit was doing, or I should say _not_ doing, his absence as a father, and I begged for Kid and Death to do the same. I did not want her coming back to take you, and I made definitive steps to keep that from happening."

"But Marie," that came with a deep sigh that rattled his chest, "sent word to your mother, and that's when you got that letter about Spirit's transgressions and Yaara's idiotic attempt at rationalizing her abandonment of you." Maka watched his fist flex only once before his fingers returned to nothing but loose. "I will admit that my motivation to have you with us was not purely to save you from what your home had become. I did know you'd be powerful, and there were many exchanges between myself and the council, The Great Old Ones, about your potential and what should be done about it."

"I suppose I should explain The Great Old Ones…" This left him only able to pause, having to carefully arrange words on his tongue. "Kings and Queens change, there are many of them and will be many more, but the council will always stay the same. Just as witches are otherworldly, so are these men, if you can even still call them men, and they've made it their business to ensure that witch-hunters exist, that there is balance and protection in this world. I would certainly not say that they've done everything with the best intentions - I'd be a fool if I did - but for the most part, they have ensured that the world continues to turn."

Stein stopped to nod and let those words settle between them. "So when they asked for you, I denied them."

Maka couldn't help it, the word shooting off her tongue, "What?"

"I thought their intentions at the time were, well, selfish," he let out a rueful laugh. "Even though I should definitely point out that my intentions were just as selfish. They wanted you for your power at a very young age. They wanted you trained, perfected as a soldier just like Yaara had been before you. I wanted you to be a child." He cleared his throat and Maka watched with a mixture of horror and confusion as his lip trembled momentarily. "They asked for you the first year Soul came to stay with us since it was certainly troublesome to have you mixed up with a prince but… I saw the instant attachment to him. I saw a chance for you to mend more than Marie and I had been able to coax forth so I… denied them their request."

"Why?" Maka forced.

"Because I love you," Stein said with short surety. "It was not just Marie loving you as a daughter. It never has been."

Maka clapped a hand to her mouth, forcing back the sob that threatened as her nails ached against the hearth as they dug in to hold her steady.

"So I allowed for the selfish hope that you'd heal if you stayed," he nodded slowly, "and I honestly wanted to avoid creating another Yaara." Stein paused, fighting the past and his own pity. "Your mother's family gave her away, Maka, at a very young age. I thought that it was what kept her from loving the people in her life the way she should. I did not want the same to happen to you. I wanted you to have a chance to use the entirety of your heart because while you are powerful in many ways, I had come to believe that most of it was rooted in the strength of your heart, not just innate ability."

Stein cleared his throat roughly before putting more weight on the desk behind him and let his chin drop towards his chest so his eyes could linger across the cobblestones. "Regardless of that protection, of keeping you with us, I've freely given all and any information to Kid and Death. They know everything about you, about Soul, about all that's passed. I did so without consulting either of you. I guess it was the closest thing to a trade that I could barter though making that deal without your knowledge was in no way kind of me. I excused it with you being a child but you are very much grown now and should have been entitled to know."

"Did-" The question strangled her, clutching to the inside of her throat until she could swallow shallowly. "Did you plan for me to marry Soul? Did _they_ plan for me to marry Soul?"

He chuckled softly, "I didn't plan anything like that. I definitely did not have the shadow of a chance to influence that one way or another." Stein tilted his head, his eyes raising to hers with a twinkling amusement. "Maka, do you think anything I would have said or done would have stopped you from loving him?"

"No," she murmured.

"Good," he let another laugh take him. "I'm powerful, The Great Old Ones are, too, but nothing is as compelling as a woman in love. Or a young man, for that matter. Soul married you completely of his own intention. There were no strings pulled there."

Maka bit at her lip, trying to catch the next thought but finding it with desperate legs of its own. "The babies… did you have to put your foot down about them too? Because my mother made it seem like… she didn't want them to be born and I wonder at how you've said that my being with a prince was _troublesome_."

Stein sighed lengthily, his hands coming together in his lap to fiddle before giving in to speak again. "I was asked my opinion and I gave it just as I did to you: the babies are fine. Your mother gave hers as well, unfortunately, and that is why Kid is at your door. He will be the final say."

"He will be no such thing," Maka hissed as her fists clenched. "Those are our sons, born and breathing, and if anyone wants to change that I will kill them myself."

While the anger boiled across the dark divide between them Stein did nothing more but nod slowly. "I will support you in that."

"What?" Maka shook her head of the question as soon as it came from her mouth. "You're expecting me to believe that you bend to them, give them every last bit of information about us but then-"

"I believe what I said was correct," Stein advanced without a second thought for her anger. "They pose no danger and I'm sorry, Maka, you can't possibly believe that I follow all rules set in front of me like some good little boy."

If her mouth wasn't so set with venom she would have laughed especially with the challenging smile on Stein's lips. Her hands clutched into her dress as she pulled in air, trying to clear away the beating wings of those terrible thoughts in her mind. "I want to believe you," she groaned. "I want to believe everything you're saying, _but…_ "

"You're a smart girl," Stein finished for her, "and I've lied to you so being weary of me from now on is an understandable plan."

Maka shook her head, forcing her hands to catch it to keep it in place and to hide her cheeks as tears threatened to mar them. _It's not fair_ , she wanted to scream like a petulant child but instead let another weak, gritty grunt leave her throat. She refused the liquid in her eyes and raised her head, green eyes burning. "No more, Stein."

"No more what?"

"Telling them about me or Soul or the babies."

Stein tilted his head, "That's an order."

"Yes." She bit her lip rather than give in to the quiver.

He let out a thoughtful hum before smirking, "In what capacity are you giving this order?"

It hit her like a cold wind, jutting her head back and bringing heat to her cheeks. "What?"

"Are you being Queen? Princess?"

The playful, cat-and-mouse tone was spreading the pink to her ears. "I am your Princess, going to be your Queen but…" To echo her mind he had already started to shake his head slowly. "I'm giving this order as me. As a daughter would to a father because while Papa will always _be_ Papa, if there was anyone who was ever a father to me it was you. So, stop it. Stop giving in to the rules of some ancient order - since you're right, rules aren't for you - and let me choose what they know."

His sigh hit her as content and she waited, spurring him to finally answer. "I wonder if you'll decide to let them know anything."

"That isn't an answer, Stein," Maka chided.

He chuckled, "Yes, princess, I will keep my mouth shut from now on. I'm actually interested to see the consequences."

"Not princess," she sighed.

"Maka," his laughter repeated, gaining vigor. "You've picked yourself a poor man for a father."

"I wouldn't say so." She let that unwind her, let the door creak open in her heart and the comfort of seeing him seep back into her veins. "Please tell me that's it. There are no more secrets that I have to wonder about with you."

"Oh, there's plenty of secrets," he nodded sensibly, "but no more that include you or Soul." He stood slowly, clearing the smile from his face as he approached her. "But about your mother…"

"What?" she could barely keep it from being a snap.

There was a second of hesitation before his hand came to the top of her head, pressing into the hair and turning those green eyes expectantly up at him. It did not matter that this was a woman who had borne children already because in his mind's eye this was still the fragile little girl he'd brought home to Marie. "Was she with you?"

There was no chance to keep just that sliver of an opening, all of it flooding from her soul and annihilating the last of that hesitation. Maka eased forward, sinking into his chest as he moved his arms to wrap around her. "No, she hasn't shown herself again," she murmured helplessly.

Stein only sighed in reply, letting the weight of his arms envelope her.

Maka allowed one more breath's time in his arms before she eased away. "Will you come see them now?"

"There is one more matter to discuss," Stein answered evenly but his hand spoke otherwise, gently falling to the crown of her head again. "I would like to know what you plan on telling Kid."

She fiddled with her lip for a moment before shaking her head. "I don't know. What I said to you, I suppose. My children are off-limits. My husband and I will decide for ourselves what is known about us, what Kid or the council can get out of us, but… did you speak to him about Kim?"

Stein's eyebrows raised for a moment, "No."

"You didn't because…?" she offered back quickly.

"The obvious - she's a witch and the normal order would be to kill a witch." He pulled his hand back to let a pondering finger drift to his chin. "I suppose I was waiting for the best time to broach it, which probably wouldn't come on the cusp of our little adventure."

"I suppose then that I'll broach it," Maka murmured back. "Especially since it's not just her, it's Free, too, and probably more than that even. We have to do something."

Stein chuckled softly, "There's our little Queen."

"Don't tease me," she snapped.

"Oh, not teasing at all," he shook his head, loosening that sly smile. "It's a refreshing change, and I'm glad to see Soul has rallied beside you. I will warn you that influencing the council will be different from ruling people… I'm unsure of whether you can change them."

Maka let a smile of her own trickle across her lips slowly, her green eyes glowing, "But we both know that doesn't mean I'm not going to try."


	54. Chapter 54

"And these, Jason, are your very first friends!" Marie had Jason up on wobbly legs, bouncing him between the two cribs. "Wes and Crona."

"I'm Jason's friend, not them," Ben grumbled as he threw his arms around his mother's neck.

"Oh, darling, you'll all be friends," she laughed softly.

Spirit's chuckles joined hers, "He loves his brother."

"He's at a possessive age," Marie sighed before she turned her head to Soul, catching him on his next revolution around the room. "Soul, they'll be done any minute, I'm sure."

"You really think I shouldn't go?" Since that was the millionth time the question had burst from his lips Soul didn't even bother to direct it to her again, just throwing a hand in his hair in frustration. "She probably wants to talk to him herself, but-"

Spirit huffed before catapulting back to his feet, meeting Soul's step and getting him by the elbow. "You trust her, I know you do, and Stein's not going to do anything to her other than talk, we both know that one. So, take a breath, kid, especially since I think the little ones are feeding off the energy."

On cue, Wes belted out a cry and Crona started a gravely grumble of his own. "Wes, I swear," Soul started and let it break with a soft laugh. "You can't possibly be hungry again." He was quick to scoop the crowing little boy from his bed, carefully cradling the mewling head. The sound stopped instantly, just red eyes blinking up at him. "You're already spoiled, aren't you? Just wanting to be held," he murmured with none of the annoyance and all tenderness, especially as he pulled the tiny thing to his chest.

Something halfway between a sigh and a laugh trickled from Marie's lips. "With you as a father, Soul, I'm not surprised they're spoiled."

His eyebrows jutted momentarily, "Marie…"

Marie turned her eyes to Spirit, that playful twinkle there. "Even as a boy, he was doting, the way he worried over your daughter."

"Your daughter," Spirit echoed weakly.

"It certainly did take a village to raise that girl," Marie let that break her lips thoughtfully before bringing her attention back to Soul. "And these boys will have the same, won't they?"

Soul snorted a laugh as he smoothed the fine, white-blond hairs on Wes's head. "They'll take whatever attention they can get, or at least Wes will. Crona's a little pickier." When he met Marie's eyes he tried to read the message those partially raised eyebrows were feeding him. "But, uh…" Her soft brown eyes added motion in Spirit's direction. "Spirit, would you grab Crona? It'll be better to stop him at grumbles…"

"Oh…" Spirit started for the crib, kneeling down next to Marie and letting a tentative hand linger towards the baby.

"Don't worry," Soul cleared his throat, trying to loosen the words. "I said he was picky but I think he'll settle for his grandfather. That is until Maka comes into the room, and then, forget it. He only has eyes for her."

Spirit let a weak laugh sputter from his lips, his fingers finally clenching into the delicate bundle to bring Crona into his arms. There was a moment's discerning glance, a distinctive consideration of whether or not belting would get him anywhere before Crona settled into an acquiescent whimper. "His first words are well on their way to being Mama?"

"Sure," Soul chuckled. "And this one'll be _more_. Always wants food or all your warmth and will refuse any less." He dipped his nose towards his son, offering the whisper warmly, "Not that I'm saying you're not allowed it, just give Maka a rest every now and then."

"They keep her busy?" Marie pressed.

"With two, it seems as if one's always hungry, but she…" Soul gave a wistful sigh. "She never tires of them, or at least she doesn't show it. Any moment they ask for she gives." He was back to caressing the boy, smiling down at the cooing lips. "I certainly don't blame those women for taking nurses. How Maka even manages-"

"It helps to have a good husband," Maka chimed easily and Soul popped his head up with a devilish grin.

"You OK?" He made rushed steps towards her at the door but Maka easily shook off his worry, pressing him towards Stein.

"Just give Stein the baby, won't you?" Soul did as ordered and as soon as his hands were free she grabbed them, directing to hold around her waist and let his chin fall to her shoulder. "Papa, I see Crona has taken a liking to you. Thank goodness! Sometimes he gives Soul this look," Maka paused to try to mimic it, the crinkled brows and forehead, "as if he barely tolerates him. So no crying and no wrinkled brow means at least I have another hand with that one." The laugh that she produced came light as a feather, and Maka let the moment happily swell over her.

Spirit was barely able to clear the tightness from his throat, letting those joy weathered eyes look up at his daughter. "He's a good boy."

"They both are, like their father," Maka said with pleasant surety, turning her head over her shoulder to look at the man in question. "I'm fine," she murmured just for him.

"Since both boys seem fed and fit with more than enough attention, why don't the two of you take a walk?" Marie offered with a smile that made Maka still blush like it was ten years ago and their feelings were barely anything more than the echoes off their desperately beating hearts.

"I guess it's my turn to ask for a moment of yours." Maka sent him a glowing smile and Soul basked in it with a soft chuckle.

"If they cry-" Soul started but Maka stopped it, a firm hand over his mouth.

"There are three parents in this room besides us," Maka chided. "Don't prove yourself the worry-wort father right away."

Soul snorted underneath her grasp before stealing the hand away and using it to steal her through the door. He was in a particular hurry to get her outside into the night air but once in the starting chill, he wrapped an arm around her and slowed them to almost nothing.

Maka leaned into him, steadied by his strong arm and the beat of his heart that she had tuned to. "Stein was reasonable."

Soul nodded but didn't offer any additional words, leaving the stage open for her.

"He accepted my order - no more tattling," Maka let a soft laugh break the last of the anxious feeling away, "and he was honest about what Kid is a part of and what they might expect from us."

"Which is?"

"You're powerful, I'm powerful," Maka shrugged. "The assumption now is that our children will be equal if not more so. And since they try to create regulation and order in the world…"

Soul grunted, amusement fizzling to annoyance at the idea, "Order?"

"Well…" Maka sighed. "I understand them wanting to _know_ about you, me, the babies, but now it has to be on our terms."

"Agreed," he let grumble out of his mouth.

Maka wrapped her arm tightly around his waist, her fingers squeezing into his side. "And while I think promising our help could be a possibility, especially with more transparency on Kid and Stein's part, we need to make the solid order that the issue with witches has to be re-examined."

Soul let a sour smirk hit his lips, "Order them? Did Stein laugh you out of the room for that?"

Maka gave him a wry smile in return, "No, but he very kindly told me that trying to make them do something is much more difficult than running a kingdom."

A sickly sigh left his lips, "Yeah, of course."

"That's not to say we can't make it happen," Maka nudged her hip into his, earning a chuckle from him. "That we won't make it happen, Soul."

As Soul tilted his head to meet those sweet verdant eyes that were blinking up at him softly in the shine of the moon, his heart fluttered away without sense. Regardless of the worry that was still nibbling at him, the myriad of future possibilities that could bolster every last ounce of his troubles, Soul found that same old trembling nervousness under her gaze. "You and me, right?"

"Always," she grinned.

"Yeah," he murmured breathlessly.

Maka hummed out a joyful note before she tapped her head to his shoulder, refusing to be bothered by the walk that jostled her against him. "We have to protect Kim and even Free, and whoever else is just a witch trying to live in this world and not ruin it."

"Then tomorrow that's what we tell Kid," Soul squeezed her shoulder.

"Tomorrow," she agreed before sucking in another deep breath. "It was nice, seeing Papa with Crona."

"Good," he murmured but couldn't help the way the glumness bled into the words. "I know Marie and Stein will have to leave soon but if you want him to, he can stay as long as he likes."

She shook her head ever so softly, barely rubbing against his shoulder. "Little steps, Soul, please."

"Whatever you want," he whispered as he ran gentle fingers down her arm. "Maka… it's alright if it's too much. I know I asked you to do this, but you seem just…"

"I'm fine," it came with a steady surety and a tiny twitter of bliss.

"Maka…"

"Really!" She popped her head up again, mirth twinkling in her eyes. "Sure, I'm _exhausted_ and still sore and, _death_ , can these babies _eat_ , but… just having them, Soul. They're so beautiful, perfect, and while it's hard, each moment they look at me or reach for me, or coo and smile when I speak to them just makes it entirely worth it. And you," she slowed their already leisurely steps, turning to face him and sink into his arms. "I meant what I said. Having you as a partner is all I can ask for."

"If that changes…"

"Do you plan on becoming a bad father?" Maka raised her eyebrows playfully.

"No," he chuckled.

"Then it won't." She reached up, running gentle fingers along his jaw. "Stay the way you are with the boys and we'll be fine. But…"

"But?" His fingers dug into the cloth at her waist, pulling her closer.

"We both agree no more babies, right? At least for now."

He let out a relieved laugh, "Not until we can get a decent night's sleep again, and even then I might remember how much I enjoyed it and refuse to let it go again."

Maka echoed him with a fit of giggles and she pressed them to his neck, wrapping her arms around his shoulders tightly. "I love them, though, and I love you. I… never would have imagined all this. I barely even thought that you and I-"

"Hey," Soul sunk his fingers into her hair, clutching her to him. "Make me a promise?"

"Hm?" she murmured softly.

He glided his cheek against hers, letting his mouth rest right next to her ear. "Forget that, OK? Never think about it again, that there was ever a chance that it wasn't going to be you and me. It's always been you and me and it's always gonna be and you're never going anywhere again and neither am I."

There wasn't enough breath in her, between his words and the tight hold of his arms, to give him acquiescence from her lips. Instead, her fingers digging into his shirt, the way her soul wrapped with his, was the only answer she could give.


	55. (Epilogue Included)

They afforded Kid a room, and while he had as much allowance as any guest in the castle, there was still that distinct flare in the eyes of the princess every time they crossed paths.

The same look was lighting up those jade orbs as he entered the main hall. "Ah, I see Stein made it." He sent a stiff wave in Stein's direction and got a terse nod in return, the pinnacle of most exchanges between them. "So, princess, prince, I assume _now_ we have things to discuss?"

Soul rested a hand over Maka's on the table, sending soft eyes to her as she smiled. "Discussion, sure, but know there's not a lot of leeway here, for you, _Lord_ Kid."

Kid's eyebrows popped up his forehead as Soul chuckled, leaning back in his chair to enjoy the brave command in Maka's voice.

"Information from Stein will cease. I haven't talked to Mira yet but I'll give her the same directive. My mother doesn't seem to be interested in me anymore," a small relief came in the squeeze of her hand from Soul, giving her the power to barrel through the words rather than give in to them, "so I don't imagine she'll be able to relay anything either. That leaves Soul and me as your only source and that is how it will stay."

"And what am I to expect I'll be told about?" There was no jovial lilt, just cold, hard words dropping off his tongue.

"Whatever we see fit," Maka shrugged. "You may ask for information, but the end result will only be what we want to give especially when it comes to the children. Because let's get one thing entirely straight-"

"Our sons are fine," Soul stole the words from her and Maka entirely allowed it, letting a sigh of relief fill the space. "They're not monsters, and while I'm pretty sure they're going to be strong, we're responsible for teaching them right, not you."

Kid's face soured but Maka jumped right at the end of Soul's orders, "That does not mean we're against helping. Soul and I will complete missions to the same extent that I used to while living with Stein and Marie. But there's an issue with the missions."

"And what is that?" Kid shot out with a sigh.

Maka sucked in a long inhale, stretching her lungs to accommodate her words. "Medusa was a terrible witch and, to be honest, was not that much different from any others I've encountered, but… that is not all witches."

Kid scoffed as a thin smile grew and fizzled off his lips. "You're serious?"

"Completely," Maka nodded.

"We've got two here." Soul lifted a finger of warning but still managed a smirk, "Well, technically one and a half. The other's an immortal, but that's not important. The big deal is we like them both and we've been dealing with both of them as friends instead of enemies."

Kid's eyes darted to Stein. "And you're aware of this?"

"I am," Stein answered with a smooth amusement. "The girl, the full witch, saved my life."

"And I thought Yaara was going crazy," Kid muttered. "You're sure the girl's a witch, not just some healer or something?"

"What's the difference?" Maka offered quickly.

"What?" Kid snapped his eyes back to her, blinking inquisitively.

"She _is_ a healer," Maka urged. "Witch or not, that's her skill. She just happens to be a witch as well and that leaves me wondering how many more are out there. Of course, you're not going to hear of a witch doing _good_ , and since all we've heard about is witches misbehaving, then the assumption is that they're all bad."

Kid glanced back at Stein, waiting for movement or words and when he found none his eyes sunk to the floor, trying to read an answer in the stone. "Interesting."

"Interesting?" Soul echoed.

"Well," Kid nodded slowly as if to loosen the idea from his mind. "This _has_ been a discussion, but… I've been mostly outnumbered," Kid laughed sourly as he shrugged.

"Outnumbered?" Maka barely caught herself from making it a scoff.

"Well," Kid flourished a hand over himself, "As you can see, I'm kind of the youngest, not exactly well listened to. Father's not exactly handing over the reins either. I think the prince can commiserate, can't you?"

"Technically," Soul grumbled before he turned eyes to Stein. "You buying this? Able to back this up?"

"I can't say I'm privy to arguments made on the counsel," Stein shrugged. "I would say if Kid is willing to offer his support then I would take it."

Fiery red orbs turned back to Maka's gently glowing green, a soft smile starting on her lips. Soul's hand squeezed gently in hers, eyes staying glued to those sweet lips as they spoke again. "Those are our terms. If I have to take them to the counsel myself I will, but dealing with you, for now, seems acceptable."

"You're not driving an easy bargain," Kid grimaced before sighing, "but I suppose there's no choice. Your sons are off limits and _at least_ those two witches stay."

"One and a half," Soul shrugged.

"One and a half," Kid echoed with the start of a laugh."But you'd take missions? A prince and a princess as witch-hunters?"

An aching grin cracked Soul's face. "Try to tell her no. She'll always be a fighter."

* * *

EPILOGUE: Five years in the future...

* * *

The pattering of little feet was what woke him, forcing Soul to roll over quickly in bed in order to stop the horrible eruption. His hand reached out, touching a little chest and breathing out the words barely above a whisper, "Quietly. Do _not_ wake your mother." It was too often that these mornings turned into gung-ho catapults into their bed, delicate hands clocking Soul in the face or what should be tiny feet kicking Maka in the ribs. _The joys of parenthood_.

To avoid the fray, Soul slowly lifted one boy after the other, first Wes, who made him hold his breath for fear that the little boy's often pounding voice would completely ignore his request, and then Crona, who didn't need an order from anyone to be silent. While Wes stared into Maka's face, Soul practically reading his mind at the urge to poke her awake, Crona nuzzled closely to his father, those little lips pressing closely to Soul's ear to fulfill their morning ritual.

It was a secret, every morning, whispered carefully in Soul's ear from his lesser heard boy. How that had started was a complete mystery, but Soul cherished it as he rustled through the white-blond hair with his fingers. Sometimes it was innocuous, Crona may have seen a dog in the yard or had seen a maid bake bread, but other times reminded him just how little and precious his boy was, worries about something he'd said to Maka or how he'd accidentally killed a butterfly.

While he waited for the secret of the day, he reached his other hand out, rubbing into Wes's back, watching thankfully as those eyes that had been shining with mischief just a second ago almost instantly started lulling back into the siren's call of sleep. It wasn't music that tamed that savage little beast but touch, Wes almost always falling into surrender as soon as a warm hand massaged over his spine or into his hair. Twins they definitely were in looks, absolutely, but a mirror in personality they were most certainly not. Secretly, on more than one occasion, Maka and Soul had whispered thanks for this.

"Daddy," Crona's voice finally piped with a wriggling excitement that made Soul grin. "I'm very excited about the babies."

His grin faltered, eyebrows furrowing slightly. "Whose babies?" _They're nosy, so they might have found out about Black Star and Tsubaki's news, but… who knows with Crona. It could be that or a stray in the yard and he'd be excited._

"Mama's," Crona cooed.

Soul instantly propped himself up, the little boy's face looking up expectantly from the pillow. "Who told you Mama's having another baby?" A laugh started on his lips, incredulity saturating the smirk on his face.

"They're there," Crona balked before he reached over to Wes and shook him awake. "Wes, tell Daddy, aren't the babies there?"

That had riled him, making Wes toss around in the bed to squash Crona between them. "Yeah! And they're girls, too!"

He was still trying to firmly grip the humor of it, his eyes blinking in disbelief as he let another trembling laugh pass his lips. "But how do you _know_ they're there?"

"You can't see them?" It was practically a scoff from Wes's mouth, something definitely learned from too much time with his godfather. "See?" He scooted back over without consideration for Maka, pressing a firm hand against her stomach with his best showman smile.

Maka's eyes popped open as she grasped the little hand. "And what trouble are you two getting into this early in the morning?"

"Nothing, Mama, we were just telling Daddy that-"

"You broke the rules," Soul sighed out over the secret that he knew shouldn't feel like one but clung to him all the same. "I told you no waking your mother. Come on, both of you, out of bed." To a chorus of complaints, Soul maneuvered each boy back the way they came. Little feet pounded in protest but Soul eased himself over the edge of the bed, the best stern face he could manage glowering at them. "Get a move on."

"You didn't have to," Maka murmured.

Soul waited for the boys to slam the door behind them, leaving the room oddly silent before he turned over. "I kinda had to. We need to talk."

"Oh?" Maka was clearing the sleep away from her face as her hands rested on her cheek. "What's wrong?"

He leaned over her, grasping over one of the hands on her cheeks. "I've got a wicked case of deja vu, Maka, but… I know it's early, we've only been trying a few weeks, but you think you could be pregnant?"

Maka blinked at him, "Why, are we sending me away again?"

"No," Soul snorted a laugh. "Just… you can't see anything?"

"No," Maka shook her head, "or really, I haven't tried in a few days, but before, no."

"And you…" Soul worked it over on his tongue before releasing it from his lips. "You didn't tell the boys, right? That we're trying."

"No…" Her eyes narrowed at him. "I know your mother's been a little pushy, Soul, but we can't speed up the process, _if_ the process is even going to happen again, and I don't want to get the boys' hopes up just in case nothing happens."

"Hopes are already up," Soul muttered.

"What?"

"Crona's secret this morning," something fluttered to life in Soul's chest, his heart taking flight in a way he couldn't quite name. "He said he's excited for the babies. Your babies. That they're there, two of them, and Wes said they're girls."

Maka's head started to swivel against the pillow, the disbelief barely fulfilled by the motion. "Wes _and_ Crona said they saw them?"

"Wes was trying to show me when you woke up," Soul sighed. "I guess it could just be their imagination…"

"I doubt it," Maka murmured as she let a hand drift down to her stomach. "Are we really going to fool ourselves that our sons aren't special?"

"'Course they're special," Soul grimaced. "Just… maybe I was hoping for a little _normal_ , too."

Maka snorted a laugh, "Normal like the time Wes broke his arm, _definitely_ broke his arm since Free was in a panic, but it was magically set an hour later? Totally fine by the next day?"

"Maka…" that frown on his lips deepened.

"Or Crona," Maka traced a line over her right eyebrow, "who should have a giant scar right about here because he took that fall down the stairs while chasing after Jason? But all we had to do was wipe away the black blood, didn't we?"

"But they're still just little boys," Soul sighed.

"Of course they are," Maka shot back. "The same way you're _just_ a man and I'm _just_ a woman in a lot of ways but then in some ways definitely not. Like black blood or soul perception." She worried at her lip for a moment, trying to concentrate every last ounce of energy she could muster to gaze that watchful eye over her and find just the faintest of glows. With a shaky breath and his hand tightening on her cheek, Maka smiled, "Which apparently our sons have inherited from me and are already better at than their mother. I can't say I'm not a bit jealous as well as being proud."

"You mean…?" Soul raised his eyebrows.

"I don't see two, I don't see girls, but there's something there," Maka answered pertly. "You'll have to ask your sons apparently for the finer details."

Soul laughed sharply before tangling up with her in the sheets, his arms clutching her and forcing her into each bend of his body. He was memorizing each curve, all the dips and crevices of her smooth skin since one thought had occupied his mind above all others when they finally came to the decision of another child, another pregnancy: _I'll get to be with her for every change, for every ache or movement, for every tear or smile, from the first moment of these babies at least I can be with her. I'll always be with her._


End file.
